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Journal Article 1: Brune, W. H. (2015). The ozone story: A model for addressing climate change? Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 71(1), 75-84. doi:10.1177/0096340214563685

Summary: This article reviews the creation of the international efforts to combat ozone depletion and asks if the lessons from that movement can be applied to climate change. It concludes that while climate change is more complicated, it is possible that some of the lessons can be applied.

Questions to Consider

1. What event led to wide spread acceptance that ozone depletion was a real problem that needed to be addressed?

2. How did the relatively low number of companies manufacturing ozone depleting materials make it an easier problem to address than climate change?

3. Based on this article, do you believe that the lessons from the effort to combat ozone depletion serve as a model for efforts to combat climate change?

 

Journal Article 2: Bulkeley, H., Jordan, A., Perkins, R., & Selin, H. (2013). Governing sustainability: Rio+20 and the road beyond. Environment Planning C: Government and Policy, 31(6), 958-970. doi:10.1068/c3106ed

Summary: This article summarizes the state of sustainable development as of the Rio+20 conference in 2012. It argues that sustainability governance is under pressure due to a perceived failure to achieve meaningful change. It then presents three suggestions for ways to improve the conversation of sustainability.

Questions to Consider

1. In what ways does the paper argue that sustainable development and sustainability governance has failed to achieve results?

2. In what ways might rising industrialization in emerging economies challenge sustainable development?

3. The article suggests that the SDGs (which replaced the MDGs) may improve the conversation around sustainable development by applying to all countries, not just developing countries. Why might this universal applicability be important?

 

Journal Article 3: Campbell, D. (2016). What does the Paris agreement actually do? Energy & Environment, 27(8), 883-895. doi:10.1177/0958305X16675524

Summary: This article takes a rather pessimistic view of the Paris Climate Agreement. It argues that by focusing on limiting global temperature rise rather than creating binding emissions targets, it actually harms efforts to combat global warming.

Questions to Consider

1. This article strongly suggests that the Paris Climate Agreement will do little to combat climate change. What are the principle reasons for this concern?

2. If the author is correct, what do you believe are the impediments to a stronger agreement?

3. If this article is correct, what do you believe the practical effects will be of the US decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement?

 

Journal Article 4: Culas, R. J. (2006). Debt and deforestation: A review of causes and empirical evidence. Journal of Developing Societies, 22(4), 347-358. doi:10.1177/0169796X06071524

Summary: This article examines the hypotheses that a country’s debt burden can lead to greater deforestation. The author uses evidence from tropical countries and finds that countries facing debt problems do have greater rates of deforestation.

Questions to Consider

1. What is the causal argument the author makes regarding the link between debt and deforestation?

2. If the author is correct, what steps could be taken to address both debt and deforestation together?

3. The author examines export driven agriculture as it relates to debt and deforestation. Is this article suggesting that an open economy my drive deforestation?

 

Journal Article 5: Redclift, M., & Sage, C. (1998). Global environmental change and global inequality: North/South perspectives. International Sociology, 13(4), 499-516. doi:10.1177/026858098013004005

Summary: This is a 1998 article examining a divide in environmental politics between the global north (developed countries) and the global south (developing countries). It argues that the primary concern of global environmental conversations has been on macro-issues such as climate change and biodiversity, while for countries in the Global South, which often do not contribute to problems such as climate change, issues such as poverty are frequently ignored.

Questions to Consider

1. Do you agree with the authors that frequently environmental concerns of developing countries are ignored in favor of the concerns of more developed countries?

2. The authors discuss the idea of a global contract that addresses development issues; do you believe the Millennium Development Goals and the subsequent Sustainable Development Goals serve as a form of contract?

3. To what extent should the concerns of developing countries be considered when addressing problems, such as global climate change, that are largely a result of development in the Global North?