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Dickinson to Durban » Entries tagged with "Governing Climate Change"

Durban’s Challenge

Durban’s Challenge

By Timothy Damon ’12 With a population of more than 3.5 million people and an area of more than 2,300 km2, Durban is one of the most significant urban and economic centers in South Africa. A port city, it is on the front lines of climate change – at risk from storm surge and sea-level rise in addition to heat waves and air pollution. The local government has initiated some steps to address these hazards, but … Read entire article »

Filed under: Climate Change, Environmental Politics

Climate Change, Gender Vulnerability and Zimbabwe

Claire Tighe ’13 Some quick thoughts and on the relationship between gendered vulnerability and climate change in Zimbabwe, as stated through the Heinrich Boll Stiftung report entitled, “Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Preparedness in Southern Africa: Zimbabwe Country Report 2010.” Download the report here. In 2010 the German Green Party published the aforementioned document outlining and evaluating the present state of vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in Zimbabwe. The report claims that current gender inequalities are compounding effects of climate change, “A deliberate and extensive effort is needed to integrate gender issues into Zimbabwe’s response to climate change. Gender disaggregated data on vulnerabilities is needed at both micro and macro levels. The accentuated vulnerability of women to climate change should be acknowledged, researched, and integrated in plannig and strategy building. Policy … Read entire article »

Filed under: Climate Change, Environmental Justice, Environmental Politics, Key COP17 Issues

Top to Bottom: Inspiring Bottom-up using the Top

Top to Bottom: Inspiring Bottom-up using the Top

Sam Parker ’12 Climate change governance and mitigation thus far have taken a very “top-down” approach.  One of the best examples of this is the Conference of the Parties (COP) that occur yearly, bringing together government officials from all across the world to discuss climate change and its different aspects.  Though, these top-down approaches to global problems often overlook the need for more “bottom-up” or community based approaches to issue that the world faces.  As I … Read entire article »

Filed under: Climate Change, Conservation, Consumption, Environmental Politics, Key COP17 Issues

Solutions from Industry

By:Esther Babson The private sector is and has been a very important player in the climate negotiations. According to Governing Climate Change by Harriet Bulkeley and Peter Newell, recent times have seen a switch in some areas to a more “positive engagement with climate governance initiatives”(92). As learned from Merchants of Doubt by Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway, industry’s role typically involves stalling policies and negotiations around climate change. In Governing Climate Change the authors even mention Fred Singer who was a main focus in Merchants of Doubt as a scientist who raised questions about anthropogenic climate change via funds from fossil fuel companies(Bulkely and Newell, 89). Bulkeley and Newell site this strategy of challenging the science of climate change as just one of six different political strategies used to “promote … Read entire article »

Filed under: Climate Change, Environmental Politics