Climate Management & Intervention Challenges (HL) (DP IB Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS))

Climate Management & Intervention Challenges

• Climate management and intervention strategies aim to mitigate climate change effects

• Implementation faces several barriers, including social, economic, and political challenges

Key challenges in implementing climate management strategies

1. Belief in the seriousness of climate change

• Some individuals and groups do not view climate change as a serious or immediate threat

• This lack of belief can:

  • Hinder public support for climate initiatives

  • Reduce pressure on governments to act

Awaiting image: Public opinion on climate change

Image caption: Graph showing public opinion on the causes climate change, based on the results of a 2021 survey of public opinion in 31 countries, specifically among Facebook users

2. Financial constraints

• Many national governments lack the financial resources needed for large-scale climate action

  • E.g. developing countries may struggle with financing renewable energy infrastructure

• Limited budgets can also affect research, development, and use of climate-friendly technologies

3. Lack of leadership from key stakeholders

• Effective climate action requires leadership from a wide range of stakeholders, including:

  • Individuals making environmentally friendly choices

  • Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) promoting climate awareness

  • Political leaders passing and enforcing climate policies

  • Transnational companies investing in sustainable practices

• Without strong leadership, climate initiatives lack coordination and impact

4. International inequalities

• Economic and geographical inequalities affect the ability to manage and adapt to climate change

  • Countries with economies dependent on fossil fuels face challenges in transitioning to renewables

  • Low-income countries are often more vulnerable to climate impacts but have fewer resources for adaptation

  • High-income countries may have more resources to mitigate and adapt to climate change

    • However, they often contribute the most to emissions

The tragedy of the commons and global climate responsibility

Concept of the tragedy of the commons

• The 'tragedy of the commons' is a situation where shared resources are overused and depleted due to individual self-interest

• In climate terms:

  • The atmosphere is a shared resource

  • This means that when one nation benefits from an action that harms the atmosphere (e.g. burning of fossil fuels), all nations and their ecosystems share the costs

  • The reverse scenario is also true:

  • The costs of restoring the atmosphere (e.g. carbon capture and storage) might be paid by a single nation, but the benefits are gained by all nations

Importance of global cooperation

• Climate change is a global issue requiring unprecedented levels of international cooperation

  • No single nation can fully resolve climate change alone

  • Coordinated efforts are essential.

    • E.g landmark agreements like the Paris Agreement aim to unite nations in setting emissions reduction targets

• Without cooperation, the 'tragedy of the commons' predicts that climate change impacts could become catastrophic due to overuse of atmospheric resources