Exploring Political Ecology: Climate Change Mitigation Strategies

This essay delves into the political ecology of climate change, arguing that mitigation strategies are significantly influenced by various actors with differing values, interests, and power relations. It highlights how the politicization of climate science, industrialization in developing nations, inadequate energy technologies, corruption, and the pursuit of material wealth have shaped responses to global warming. The essay critiques the tendency of developed countries to blame developing nations, emphasizing the need for a more comprehensive and unified approach. It concludes that current efforts are insufficient and calls for future research to develop effective climate change mitigation strategies, with the document being available on Desklib, a platform offering AI-based study tools for students.

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The Political Ecology of Climate Change
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Abstract
In pursuit of sustainable climatic conditions, different people and organizations have
devised ways of curbing climatic changes continuously. However, their trials have been
continually influenced by different actors with different values, interests and power relations.
Sustainable economic growth has been the primary battleground between curbing climatic
changes and pretending that the problem is just a mere theory from individuals who are not
serious. Instead of mitigating climatic changes, developed countries have on the other hand been
blaming their developed countries for having caused the problem hence suggesting that
developed countries should accept responsibility of the whole idea of climate change.
This research essay argues that several actors who have a different value, interests, and
power relations have influenced the mitigation strategies to curb global warming. This include;
politicizing climate science, industrialization of the developing nations, lack of adequate energy
technologies, corruption and desire for material wealth. The paper concludes that the world in as
far as climate is concerned is moving towards the wrong direction and thus future research works
are being needed to devise ways of mitigating climate change before it is too late.
Keywords: climate change, global warming, politics, corruption, mitigation, industrialization,
climate science

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PART A:
Outline of the Essay
The values, interests and power relations of different actors have influenced responses to
climate change. Global warming is one of the most pervasive and worse issues of our time
(Mohapatra, et al., 2015, p. 2). It has unprecedented impacts on where individuals can grow food,
settle, build towns and depend on the working environment for the services they offer (Adedeji,
et al., 2014, p. 115). In many of the areas, the rises in sea level, as well as changes in temperature
are already putting the environment under stress. This has affected the wellbeing of the human
being. The climate has changed throughout the Earth's history. Some of the aspects of the
disaster are not normal while others are. Current world temperatures are warmer compared to
five years ago. If the situation is not rescued, the resulting climate change in the next few years
will be extremely unusual. Economic activities are the major causes of climate change
(Bhandari, 2018, p. 6). Everybody starting from governments, individuals and firms are setting
up policies to help mitigate the problem through reduction of greenhouse gases (Stern, et al.,
2014, p. 282). The attempts to curb climate change have been politicized hence making it
impossible to mitigate the disaster (Tschakert, 2012, p. 144).
I have learned about climate change in the first two assessments. I have learned that
human beings majorly cause climate changes. Several attempts have been made to mitigate the
disaster. However, different actors have influenced such efforts. In this essay, I will explain how
interests, values, and power relations of different actors have affected the response to global
warming drawing on political ecology.

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Part B
Introduction and Statement of the Problem
The Earth is experiencing several changes with respect to past climate records the records
(Leining & White, 2015, p. 1). Global warming has been taking place since the earth came into
existence some thousands of millions of years ago. It has caused a redistribution of chemical
elements between the atmosphere and lithosphere. Today, the surface does not look the way it
looked several years ago. The global average temperatures have greatly been influenced. Over an
extended period, the globe has experienced various changes in the statistical distribution of
weather patterns. The difference has been the most important issue affecting our environment for
the last several decades (Rahman, 2012, p. 2). Some of these variations include changes in time
within a period of long-term mean conditions and exceptions of average weather conditions.
Weather events have also become unreliable with some regions of the globe such parts of the
United States experiencing extreme conditions (Bradford & Pappas, 2017). Biotic processes,
volcanic eruptions, human activities such as agriculture and volcanic eruptions among others are
some of the factors which have been believed to be great contributors to the changes in climate
(Swim, et al., 2011, p. 251). The most significant cause of the global environmental changes
remains to be human beings. The reactions between natural variations in the global biological
and physical structures broadly affect human activities and vice versa (MacMillan, 2016). Fuel
consumption and agriculture remain to be the major suspects (Salvo, et al., 2013, p. 500). This
has put scientists and other specialists on the run to look for ways that curb this menace.
However, different actors with different interests, values, and power relations have influenced
the responses to the climate change as an international environment issue either politically,

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economically or socially. This research essay attempts to conclude how various actors have
affected response to climate change drawing all arguments on political ecology. The final part
presents my conclusion in as far as the influence of varied actors on the answers to climate
change.
It is crystal clear that man is behind the significant part of global environmental changes.
If nothing is done to this effect, man's life on the planet will be under threat in the next few
decades. Having researched on the history, causes, consequences, and response to the
environmental changes in the earth, I will recommend future researches that will help to come up
with better methods of curbing climate change without receiving criticism from other actors.
Influence of Different Actors on Climatic Change Responses
Madzivhandila and his co-author in their article on "politics of climate change: why
should Africa mitigate?" argue that countries whose economy is stable have on several occasions
refused requests from the countries that depend on them to reduce gas emissions from the
industries that rely on them economically (Madzivhandila & Niyimbanira, 2016, p. 91). For the
countries that have resolved on taking the bull on their heads to reduce the emissions, a snail
pace concerning development has been witnessed. Developing nations, on the other hand, have
also resolved to speed up development to drive away the high rate of poverty, unemployment as
well as other critical issues affecting them. Due to the weak infrastructure in these nations, an
alternative has not been left for them other than adapting to the impacts of climate change rather
than majoring on ways of mitigating the variations in climate (Jackson, 2015).

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The desire to make more wealth has influenced attempts to address global warming
(Hickel, 2016). Scientists have given warnings in respect to the emerging global warming for the
last few decades. However, this has been rubbished by fossil fuel industries and their allies. As
the climate change scientists argue, the people involved in the fossil fuel business create false
information that is passed through mass media and the persisted politicians to create an
impression of lack of evidence for the climate changes. The oil industries also pay some fake
climate scientists to falsify the existing climate change hypothesis (Happer & Philo, 2013, p.
326). In as much as these false scientists cannot be ignored, what they say always has a more
significant impact on the public. The few remaining climate change analytics are therefore seen
as enemies of development by these emerging nations. In simple terms, the days that climatic
change was a scientific issue are long gone. The present climatic change is politically motioned,
and it is highly influenced by political decisions which are economically and timely inclined
(State, 2013).
The whole idea of climate science has been politicized (Baviera & Maramis, 2017, p.
275). The United Nations organized general and international meetings arranged through the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have clearly shown proof that there the whole idea
of climatic change has been politicized. For example, the first Kyoto Protocol that was supposed
to be the initial multinational strategy to be agreed upon on matters climate change was strongly
politicized and contested (Poppick, 2017). The present policies on climate change are more
political. Their products are stagnated. The current socio-political status quo is the opposite of
what was expected. This has offered a low probability on the hopes of any transformations. In
simple terms, climate change now provides a good ground for politics. It gives a mileage for

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ideas that can sustain one alive politically. It only becomes relevant to some politicians only if it
captures voters attention.
Lack of sufficient advanced technologies has hindered the response to climate change
(Nath & Behera, 2010, p. 142). Global warming is a big issue which needs a lot of research
activities from several fields. For instance, communication of whatever ecological problem the
menace has been unique among politicians, media and ordinary people. In most of the cases,
mass media divide into various groups when it comes to climate change issues. The smallest
group is the one that supports the idea of mitigating climatic variations while the other group
judges any action taken to curb the menace as immature and unreliable. There is still an intense
debate on whether developing countries should absorb the idea of mitigating climate change.
Other section of scholars sees that it is ideal for the developed nations to handle the climate
change issue since they are the most significant contributors to the problem.
Industrialization is a challenge in most of the developing nations (Mendes, et al., 2014, p.
121). Some parts of the globe are still weak, for example, Africa. These countries remain
adamant to adopt the idea of mitigating global warming since the concept means committing
more funds to the program a resource that is already a problem. This has been fueled by the fact
that some of the most developed nations such as the United States have remained adamant about
solving these complications.
Greenhouse gases need to be stabilized to mitigate the issue of climate change fully. The
idea of stabilization revolves around preventing harmful anthropogenic interference with the
climate system. Scientists argue that if this stabilization is attained to acceptable levels, the
ecology will naturally adapt to climate change thus ensuring high food production (Harris &

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Roach, 2017, p. 11). This will enable a smooth flow of economic developments. In simple terms,
if industrial emissions, agricultural emissions, ways of generating power and other greenhouse
gas contributors are reduced, then a massive step towards curbing climatic change will have been
made. Some of the proposed responses to this environmental issue include the use of solar
power, thermal energy and hydrogen among others. To the contrary, economically, this is a
significant harm to the normal process of economic growth. It leads to a worse situation in the
developing nations particularly those faced with high levels of unemployment, poverty and those
affected by drought and flood hence the reason why the idea has not been bought.
Developing nations are considered to face the impacts of climate change than their
developed counterparts. Distribution of the harmful effects of global warming is associated with
the low adaptability capacity in the developing nations (Bowen, et al., 2012, p. 2). These
countries majorly invest in adaptive or mitigating ways of dealing with the threat majorly after
the occurrence of a major threat such as flooding. For developing nations to spend on mitigation
ways and still be able to maintain a balance in their economy is a very complicated case.
The international climate policy majorly encourages nations to be dominant in global
warming mitigations policies. Most of the countries in the developing countries have majored in
adaptation measures. This makes developing nations disadvantaged as they are mostly concerned
with mitigation factors. A clear line stands between mitigation and adaptation strategies as the
resources are scarce. The choice of a country regarding adaptation or mitigation depends on the
countries income. Most of the decisions on either to adapt or to mitigate global warming are
influenced by the occurrence of extreme weather conditions (Madzivhandila & Niyimbanira,
2016, p. 99).

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Climate variation is the present common topic in the scientific and media area (Yujie,
2915, p. 732). How extensive media covers issues to do with climate change has always been a
point of concern. To effectively mitigate this menace, the general public needs to be thoroughly
fed with the right information about the risks associated with climate change for them to fully
support the proper mitigation practices. The article six of the United Nations committee in
charge of climate change urges governments to make and initiate programs that educate the
general public on global warming and its effects. This will serve to ensure that the general public
gets the right information to participate in how to mitigate the issue entirely. However, climate
change is not a simple issue. Its cause is not visible, its impacts are not so evident, it cannot be
fixed quickly, quietly and as well there is no better way of setting it. This makes climate change
a complex issue to communicate to people. Those who listen to the media are people of diverse
objectives, for example, politicians and the ordinary citizen. We all know that politicians are
more vocal in the society than anybody else. They, therefore, use this advantage to lure the
public to their sides. For example, if research emerges showing that a particular factory that
belongs to a specific politician is contributing to global warming, the politician will at this point
employ another scientist who will contradict the prior information. After that, the politician will
devise ways of protecting his business by convincing people that his factory emissions are within
the manageable levels. This affects the approaches which might have been employed in place to
tackle the menace.
Democrats have shown a sincere desire to mitigate climate change and reach low levels
of carbon dioxide emission than their counterpart democrats (Popovich & Albeck-Ripka, 2017).
However, it is not yet explained to what extent this nations make their commitments a reality due
to the widespread corruption most of this nations face. This corruption makes it a challenge for

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the democratic governments to take any step towards mitigating climate change. Most of these
democratic rulers are always short-sighted. They tend to focus on short-term goals rather than
long-term goals of mitigating climate change. As (Povitkina, 2018, p. Online) argues, in most of
the cases as this leaders pursue their victory in politics they channel all their focus on providing
visible outcomes to their electorates instead of focusing climate change problems affecting their
nation.
To add to the list, business interests have also influenced response to global warming
negatively. According to (Povitkina, 2018, p. Online) business interests which are always
parallel to issues affecting the environment still, have substantial influences on political
decisions in democratic countries. This drives political leaders away from strategizing and
implementing policies that help in reducing gaseous emissions.
Short term behaviors which go against the long-term desires of the community always
complicate the presence of corrupt institutions. Environmental, economic studies have made it
clear that corruption through the aid of several disruptive forces amplifies the production of
carbon dioxide (Biswas, et al., 2011, p. 24). Corruption has succeeded in lowering inspection
quality, monitoring and ability of the leaders to effectively design and put into action policies
that would help in mitigating global warming. Trust between individuals as well as governments
have reduced hence impending voluntary compliance. The extractive power of the state is
diminished therefore preventing higher revenues of tax. This, in return, contributes to
environmental budgets. Consequently, policy-settings in the environment are affected as business
interests are given powers and channels to influence political decision making.

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With all this mechanisms in place, corruption affects the smooth functioning of
democracy in responding to global warming as an international environmental issue. Carbon
dioxide which is much like any other emission is a result of industrial activities whose countries
borders can define (Kuntsi-Reunanen, 2015, p. 3). Therefore, national political institutions of
these countries are the ones supposed to tame these emissions. They are supposed to do this
through the adoption of emission reduction strategies or policies as well as ensure compliance
and regulation of radiation within their borders. Nonetheless, corruption being in place, it
becomes impossible for this countries to attain these goals which are not favorable to most of the
people in this countries.
Lack of transparency and perceived responsibility to respond to global warming; many nations
have had long-term disagreements over the type of greenhouse gases emissions that they should
use for example livestock emissions, carbon dioxide emissions, per capita emissions per year or
even deforestation emissions (Beukel, 2016). Long in the past, there has not been a fairground in
respect to the release of carbon dioxide among all countries. This has consequently raised a
challenge of who should restrict the emissions and at what time of industrial development should
a state subject itself to such restrictions. This has made it impossible to mitigate global warming
as the emissions which are the major causes of it have not been tamed. For instance, China alone
emits more carbon dioxide that Canada and the United States put together.
There has been a disagreement between developing and developed countries. The
developing countries blame their counterparts for having created the climate change crisis
through their carbon dioxide emissions in the 20th century (Lannoo, 2016). As a result,
developing countries have refused to pay the costs needed to address the challenge arguing that it

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is only the developed nations who should pay for it. However, the developed nations have
refused to take full responsibility for the same. As a result, an argument has erupted on how to
make cuts in greenhouse emissions. The developed world argues that the said cuts should be
based on long-term emissions prompting laboriously polluting countries like China and India to
cut down their emissions. However, on the other hand, developing nations have a different angle
of view on the issue. They argue that global warming has been brought up by long-term
accumulation of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere for an extended period rather than just a
single year emission (Kirby, 2013). So they stick to the view that developed countries should
own up to the whole idea. This has paralyzed all attempts to mitigate the international
environmental issue.
Conclusion
Even though a consensus is growing that global warming poses a greater danger to the
society and evidence is playing itself out, the urge to respond to the menace has received a lot of
challenges. This paper discussed how the interests, values and power relations of varied actors
influence responses to climate change. This paper revealed that there is a strong relationship
between political, social and economic issues with climate and climatic changes. The mitigation
of climate change has been politicized. The focus sections for climate change politics are
mitigation, adaptation, technology, finance as well as losses which are studied and well
quantified. Unfortunately the urgency of climate change challenge with the inclusion of the
implication to almost all the sides of a countries economic interest heaps structural loads on the
present global institution which have been developed over the last few decades. Out of this
paper, it was certified that rapidly developing nations which see traditional sources of energy as