Climate Change and Environmental Laws

The assignment discusses the challenges of addressing climate change through environmental laws and policies. It critiques the current economic and political systems for undermining environmental regulations and hindering progress on global warming. The document also highlights the importance of international cooperation and political will in tackling climate change.

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The main purpose of the book, This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein is to show the
way climate change is affecting the world and how different laws have been unable to tackle the
issue effectively. The main goal of the author in this book is to show that efforts are needed to
tackle climate change and reduce the negative effects which are being experienced. In addition,
Klein looks at the climate change problem from the negative effects which are being
experienced. The author notes different situations which different countries have failed to tackle
the climate change and the root of the chaos in them. On the hand, in the chapter 7 and
conclusion of the book Toxic loopholes by Craig Collins shows the way the world has been
unable to deal with climate change. The author writes to show the key loopholes which are
available and making it hard to tackle the climate change. The author analyzes the different
strategies used to deal with climate change and the perspective from different stakeholders. They
highlight how the different stakeholders and countries are able to take the advantage of the
systems to benefit themselves. Both authors in the books are able to agree that climate change is
real and serious. Klein notes that 97 percent of scientists do agree that climate change is
currently happening. In this, they are able to agree that different actions need to be taken against
climate change. In their argument, they are able to show that failure to control the effect will lead
to levels where the world will have no control.

Moreover, Craig notes that there are different environmental agreements which are
virtually futile (Eli 10). This means that the governments cannot be relied to enforce these
agreements and achieve the great results in them. Craig notes that there are four theories which
can be used to explain the prospect of environmental cooperation (Collins 190). This shows that
the author agrees that it has been difficult to deal with the prevailing problem. The author notes
that the superpowers such as US cannot take care of environment. It notes that even with
negotiation agreements, the solution will not be achieved from the superpowers. On the other
hand, Klein notes that the available emission systems are able to make it hard to solve the issues
of climate change. Additionally, he notes that the legal framework has failed to curb the existing
manage of environmental pollution. The book notes that the available laws and enforcing
agencies have failed and therefore unable to meet the different targets concerning climate change
mitigation. It notes how weak the laws are and the available loopholes together with regulations
ignorance is rampant in the system.
Klein sees that the available laws are key roadblocks in achieving the targets to mitigate
the climate change. Moreover, the book brings out the comparison of capitalism and climate
change laws. According to Richard Rothschild, the set policies on global warming are only there
to attack the middle class American capitalism (Joel 9). Nevertheless, on the same point, there
are those who are against the global warming being caused by human beings. Marc Morano, and
Chris Horner are some of key vocals who argue that human beings are not responsible to the
global warming effect and therefore there is no need to have international bodies regulating the
same. Moreover, Bob Carter even goes ahead to question whether there is global warming
happening. This side of denial has been able to come up with different views on what is causing
climate change. Craig uses the theories to show that different perspectives are key roadblocks in

dealing with climate change. Some of the theories used include the Neorealism theory and
neoliberism theory. Neorealism is widely used for the international relations and considers
dubious ventures and hazardous ones. The theory states that every nation is entrenched in an
anarchic international system which lacks global peacekeeping authority. The nation has to have
power in order to defend its interests and its existence and help them to achieve what they want
(Wendell 59). Craig holds that such power is relative since it can be meaningfully measured and
employed to potential threat, obstacles and adversaries. In addition, Craig notes that we are in a
dog-eat-dog world of politics and the neorealists discourage the prolonged cooperation among
nations. The book notes that the nations do engage on temporary security agreements which
prove to be advantageous in gaining power and help to overcome mutual rivals (Collins 234).
Craig notes that cooperation to protect environment is not a gain-gain situation. She notes that it
requires sacrifice, limitation of countries sovereignty and maneuverability loss. She adds that key
sacrifices such as pollution taxes and regulations are never popular to economic elites and
therefore cannot be rely to attain the results against climate change.
Craig uses these theories to show how difficult it has been to deal with climate change.
Disagreements on the policies to be adopted are common in different nations. These
disagreements are able to put on hold different implementations of the climate change policies.
For instance, such disagreements are seen on the curbing of ozone depletion and therefore
placing uncertainty on the end result. GHGs highlight that the earth will continues to be warmer
for an indefinite period as long as the emissions continue at the current rates (Marc 8). Moreover,
the chapter highlights that increase in emissions will accelerate the increase in warming.
Nevertheless, the chapter also notes that reducing the emissions will likely have zero effect on
warming (Collins 219). According to lag time, if emissions stop today, the effects will be felt 40

years from today. In addition, there is perspective that runway greenhouse effects are likely to be
seen. This is a situation whereby the potential for global warming is out of control.
In order to deal with the threat, the authors use the same analysis. They are able to
formulate the problem and then come up with the key issues leading to the problem. The authors
then analyses the available roadblocks when dealing with the problem. Lastly, the authors come
with the strategies which can be used to solve the problems. Lastly, the authors formulate the
way forward when dealing the climate change. They analyze that the world has the potential to
deal with the climate change.
The authors highlight that the world has enough resources to deal with climate change.
Craig notes that the use of convergence and contraction measures is enough to achieve goals of
climate change. These measures are able to commit countries to negotiated but flexible programs
which are used to equalizing per-capita GHG emissions (Dunec 89). In addition, these measures
allow the countries with emissions below the set GHG emissions budgets to sell their extra
emissions to big fossil users whose GHG emissions are over budget. Some policymakers fell that
this strategy can be used to solve the climate change issue. Nevertheless, there are those who fell
that ‘Emission trading’ and ‘carbon offset’ schemes have tremendous potential abuse, cheating
and corruption (Anderson 179). The major difficulties which are experienced with these
mechanisms are difficulties in regulations and cost oversight and regulations would be excessive.
The book looks at the potential benefits which are achieved from the contraction and
convergence mechanisms. Further the section looks on potential long term negative effects of
using these mechanisms to curb GHG emissions. Klein notes that change of perspective is
important to help deal with climate change. In the book, he looks at the effects which some key
climate activists have taken to try to sway away the deniers from their points. They activists

argue that delay on action on climate change will only lead to extreme ends on the climate
change effects. For instance, according to Joe Romm a climate change blogger, “if you hate
government intrusion into people’s lives, you would better stop catastrophic global warming,
because nothing drives a country more towards activist government than scarcity and
deprivation.…” (Craig 7). According to him, government interventions even when interfering
with people’s lives to solve climate change are important. This is against what the deniers argues
since they feel that the government intrudes too much to disturb people’s lives in the name of
curbing climate change.
In the strengths, the Klein is able to base the arguments on what other researchers are
saying and have done towards climate change. This helps to come with the proofs on the way
different countries have dealt with climate change. In addition, Klein on his book notes that
warnings had been issued but the emission still went up. Since 1950s, the climate change and
global warming effects were key topics with different organizations providing reports on planet
warming due to the sources of energy being used then. This historical perspective is a key
strength in this analysis. Nevertheless, the author looks more on the way to deal with the problem
rather than the underlying problem. It presents the perspective of others and their views than
what is real. Craig uses the research and action which different organizations have taken
concerning climate change to form the basis of his analysis. This forms the major strength of the
analysis since he has researched and confirmed information of the problem. In addition, the
analysis has a great way to formulate the way forward to help solve the problem.
Moreover, the book in the conclusion notes the way the communities are struggling to
deal with these weaknesses without success. The book gives an overview of the way our current
systems pertaining environmental pollution and protection offer a false sense of success to the

public. It highlights the way powerful environmental polluters are able to use channels such as
environmental activism and legal barricades as well as bureaucratic barriers to shield themselves
against the available laws on the expense of their victims (Dunec 54). Klein notes that the
formulation of the climate change laws was digging its own graves. The divisions on NAFTA
countries were a clear sign that the rules had great objections. In addition, the book notes the
different levels of unfinished efforts to curb the climate change. The social movements are seen
to have a great level of un-fulfillment when it comes to the visions of curbing climate change.
Powerful liberations movements are seen to have been working hard but still they have a long
way to go (Jean 12).
In addition, the books notes that political, economical and interests on environment plays
critical roles in formulating the problems. According to Klein, trade and climate have been hand
in hand topics and methods of enhancing trade have been seen to be influential in curbing
climate change (Bryan 29). Climate negotiations are based on trade and different activities of
trade as seen in the UNFCCC document. Kyoto protocol and WTO are some of key summits
which have been organized in connection with trade and climate change. In addition, the book
notes that free trade and offshore production was a great step which led to the multiplication of
the emissions. Moreover, the book brings out the comparison of capitalism and climate change
laws. According to Richard Rothschild, the set policies on global warming are only there to
attack the middle class American capitalism (Joel 9). Powerful liberations movements are seen to
have been working hard but still they have a long way to go (Jean 12). The political class is seen
to be the main reason for the inability to handle climate change. The political class is unable to
seize the tools and implementation plans to achieve the required results (Steven and Steven 3).
Craig in addition notes that economic and political forces play key roles when dealing with the

climate change problems. He notes these forces undermine environmental laws and therefore
making the enforcement hard.
According to the authors, the economic and political situations need a lot of focus and change to
ensure that they provide the key solutions on climate change. Klein has suggestion of key
political and economic areas for a possibility of building international cooperatives agreements
to stop the increasing ecological peril which is facing the whole planet. In order to achieve the
best of the climate change, I would carry out important changes on political and economic focus.

References
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