15523

SoSe 23: Environmental governance in fast growing economies

Kirsten Jörgensen-Ullmann

Kommentar

Environmental governance in rapidly developing countries Many of the rapidly developing nations, such as the ‘BRICS’ countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - have at times above-average growth rates but rank poorly in the Environmental Performance Index (EPI). Some of these countries even dipped in their 2022 ranking. Weak environmental performance and resulting high degrees of air pollution and the overall degradation of ecosystems pose huge challenges to urban and rural livelihoods and environmental health in these countries. Furthermore, environmental impacts caused by rapid growth in emerging large economies also contribute to global environmental change. According to EPI projections from 2022, just four countries, one, rich and developed, the USA, and three emerging economies, China, India, and Russia will account for 50 % of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2050. Noteworthy, the two largest emerging economies, India and China, belong to the global powers with high influence on global climate governance negotiations. In the first part of the seminar we will talk about different theoretical lenses and explanatory factors to be considered in the research of environmental governance in rapidly developing countries. This includes the role of the state, democracy, civil society, state-business relations , development paradigms and dependence on fossil fuels. Comparative environmental and climate politics literature and global political economy publications dealing with energy transitions will provide a solid literature basis. In the second part of the seminar we will delve into case studies and discuss factors shaping environmental and climate policy as well as energy transitions in national contexts and consider the role of rapidly developing countries in global environmental and climate governance processes. Schließen