Question

What roles does climate change and natural resources play in global politics?

Answer 1

Climate change and the potential depletion of natural resources should be already, and should continue influencing, every policymaking activities both in the public and private spheres.

In global politics, for the consecution of economic modernization and welfare for citizens, profit maximization and economic growth cannot be the only objectives taking into account. Sustainability has to come in the first place. Pollution and other negative externalities caused by the national production and economic systems have to be limited by governments, instead of fostered because they generate economic profit (which is the case in reality many times). In the long run, such policies are unsustainable and will bring very negative consequence at the global level.