Environmental Politics: An explanation of International Regimes

Environmental Politics are directed and organized through International Regimes established by multiple states cooperating in order to combat a similar issue among actors. But what exactly are International Regimes and what do they do? International Regimes are a system of principles, norms, rules, operating procedures, and institutions that actors create or accept to regulate and coordinate action in a particular issue area of international relations. For example, a prime exemplar of the layering within international regimes is as follows, a regime would be an issue of concern such as changing climate, dissipation of the ozone layer, forest fires, etc. A treaty or protocol references a specific plan put in place to tackle these issues such as the Kyoto Protocol, and these plans are conducted by organizations such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). 

So why the need for International Regimes? It all comes down to the nature of the problem. All-natural resources on Earth such as oil, water, and fish are shared or traded among states. If there is a problem in one country that affects other states' acquisition of a resource, it is imperative to cooperate with one another to correct the issue in order to benefit everyone. The specific issue is referred to as a transboundary externality meaning that the dilemma exists beyond boundaries and must be solved using a variety of resources. International Regimes act on a linked issue that impacts development, trade, or conflict with other states, and these issues usually involved areas known as Global commons such as Antarctica, rainforests, and oil fields.  

One popular example of International Regimes coming together is the Montreal Protocol and its success in restoring the ozone layer over the last few decades. Signed in 1987 by major actors such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Russian Federation, the plan called for a reduction of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) commonly found in aerosol cans and Air Conditioning units. The question then becomes, “why the restoration of the ozone layer”? It is believed that our ozone layer blocks most of the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation waves that commonly cause skin cancer among humans. Since the plan has been put in place, it has worked to reduce CFC emissions which results in the overall improvement in our ozone layer. This protocol is just one example of many proving that international cooperation is the key to the preservation of society worldwide. 

Another exceptional example of International Regimes working to correct some of humanity's mistakes is the Biological Weapons Convention, which was signed by 109 states in 1972. This treaty effectively limited the arms race, a time of building up both the American and Soviet armories which created many nuclear scares in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) effectively prohibits the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling, and use of biological and toxin weapons to this day. It was the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning an entire category of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The BWC is considered to have established a strong global norm against biological weapons. This norm is reflected in the treaty's preamble, which states that the use of biological weapons would be "repugnant to the conscience of mankind". It is also demonstrated by the fact that not a single state today declares to possess or seek biological weapons, or asserts that their use in war is legitimate. That was until Russia threatened the use of nuclear weaponry many times when discussing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. If Russia decided to violate the treaty, the repercussions would be astronomical, with an all-out war between Russia and the allies of the world, fighting to preserve humankind.