From Science to Governance: Understanding global warming controversies and politicization in nine dates

Volume 5, Issue 1, February 2021     |     PP. 1-26      |     PDF (446 K)    |     Pub. Date: January 27, 2021
DOI: 10.54647/environmental61195    194 Downloads     6666 Views  

Author(s)

KENFACK Chrislain Eric, Department of Political Science, University of Alberta, Canada

Abstract
The current global warming context is being experienced by world populations through the extreme whether events, sea level rise, loss of biodiversity, increase rise of temperature, re-insurgence of climate-related diseases and important slow and sudden-onset environmental catastrophes enhanced or accelerated by climate change among others. In such context, the global community, supported by evidenced science research are relentlessly calling for urgent climate actions to avoid reaching the point of non-return. Unfortunately, despite the fact that our planet continues to be under such threats of irreversible climate destruction, a fraction of scientists and political leaders motivated either by their nostalgic attachment to the carbon-driven developmental era or pushed by the fossil fuel industry and its influential capacity on decision-making processes and decision-makers, continue to develop negationist theories, with the aim of creating skeptical mindsets and maintaining some doubts in public opinions as far as the very fact of global warming and the role of human activities in the occurrence of such warming are concerned. In such controversial context, it is more than ever important to revisit the key drivers of the climate crisis, the historical path that led not only to the climate conscience building, but also and above all to its gradual politicization, and the key ideologies supporting the positions of both climate change defenders and climate-skeptics and deniers. This article, using a combination of bibliographic research and descriptive methodologies, intends to investigate that historical path and cover the resulting knowledge gap, through an ideology-based and chronical presentation of facts.

Keywords
Climate change, global warming history, climate politicization, climate consciousness, climate politics

Cite this paper
KENFACK Chrislain Eric, From Science to Governance: Understanding global warming controversies and politicization in nine dates , SCIREA Journal of Environment. Volume 5, Issue 1, February 2021 | PP. 1-26. 10.54647/environmental61195

References

[ 1 ] Busby J. 2016. “After Paris: Good Enough Climate Governance.” Current History 19:3-9
[ 2 ] Climate central. 2016. “The 10 Hottest Years on Record” Available at http://assets.climatecentral.org/images/uploads/gallery/2016GlobalNumbers_TopTenYearsUpdate.jpg (Retrieved on 19/10/2016)
[ 3 ] Climate central. 2018. “The 10 Hottest Years on Record” Available at http://www.climatecentral.org/gallery/graphics/the-10-hottest-global-years-on-record (Retrieved on 14/09/2018)
[ 4 ] Dwayne B., Cabbage M. and McCarthy L. 2016. “NASA, NOAA Analyses Reveal Record-Shattering Global Warm Temperatures in 2015”. Available at https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-noaa-analyses-reveal-record-shattering-global-warm-temperatures-in-2015 (Retrieved on 19/10/2016)
[ 5 ] Enzler S.M. 2015. “History of the greenhouse effect and global warming
[ 6 ] Available at: https://www.lenntech.com/greenhouse-effect/global-warming-history.htm#ixzz5T3zESO17 (Retrieved on 19/10/2016)
[ 7 ] European Commission. 2015. “Paris Agreement” Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/international/negotiations/paris/index_en.htm
[ 8 ] Falkner R. 2016. “The Paris Agreement and the new logic of international climate politics.” International Affairs 92(5):1107-1125
[ 9 ] Fourier J.-B. J. 1824. “Remarques générales sur les températures du globe terrestre et des espaces planétaires.” Annales de Chimie et de Physique 2(XXVII) :136-167
[ 10 ] Guay F. Impacts de la réduction des émissions de gaz a effet de serre sur la compétitivité de l'industrie nord-américaine des pâtes et papiers, Mémoire présenté à la Faculté des études supérieures de 1'Université Laval pour l'obtention du grade de maître ès arts (M. A.), Novembre 1999. Available at www.nlc-bnc.ca/obj/s4/f2/ dsk1/ tape7/ PQDO_ 0016/MQ47208.pdf
[ 11 ] IPCC. 2007. “Climate Change 2007: Working Group I: The Physical Science Basis.” Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.” In IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge and New York. Available at https://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/publications_ipcc_fourth_assessment_report_wg1_report_the_physical_science_basis.htm
[ 12 ] Ivanova M. 2016. “Good COP, Bad COP: Climate Reality after Paris.” Global Policy 7(3):411-419
[ 13 ] Kenfack C. E. 2015. “Changements climatiques et droits humains fondamentaux: Vers une climatopolitique anthropocentrée.” In Mahktar Kante A. (Dir.) (2015) Environnement, changeme.nt climatique et sécurité alimentaire en Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre: compréhension des enjeux et pistes pour l’avenir. CODERIA. Dakar. PP. 37- 64
[ 14 ] Kenfack C.E. 2016. Vulnérabilité et enjeux climatiques internationaux: De la climatopolitique internationale aux droits de l’Homme. Edition Connaissances et Savoirs. Saint-Denis
[ 15 ] Lallanilla M. 2015. “Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Causes & Sources” Available at http://www.un-documents.net/our-common-future.pdf
[ 16 ] Maslin M. 2014. Climate Change: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press. Oxford
[ 17 ] Morgan J. 2016. “Paris COP 21: Power that Speaks the Truth?” Globalizations 13:943-951
[ 18 ] NASA. “Is Current Warming Natural?” Available at http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/GlobalWarming/page4.php (Retrieved on 15/11/2016)
[ 19 ] National Center for environmental information. 2014. “Global Analysis - Annual 2014” Available at: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201413 (Retrieved on 19/10/2016)
[ 20 ] UNEP. 1972. “Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment”. Available at http://www.un-documents.net/unchedec.htm
[ 21 ] UNFCCC. 1992. “United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change” Available at https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/conveng.pdf
[ 22 ] UNFCCC. 1998. “Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change” Available at https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/kpeng.pdf
[ 23 ] UNFCCC. 2009. FCCC/AWGLCA/2009/8. Negotiating text. Document prepared by the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA). Available at http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2009/awglca6/eng/08.pdf
[ 24 ] UNFCCC. 2012. “Decision 1/CP17: Establishment of an Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action, FCCC /CP/2011/9/Add.1” Available at https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2011/cop17/eng/09a01.pdf
[ 25 ] UNFCCC. 2012. Decision 1/CP17: Establishment of an Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action, FCCC /CP/2011/9/Add.1, 15 March 2012.
[ 26 ] UNFCCC. 2015. “Adoption of the Paris Agreement.” Available at: http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2015/cop21/eng/l09r01.pdf
[ 27 ] UNFCCC. 2016. “Paris Agreement - Status of Ratification.” Available at https://unfccc.int/process/the-paris-agreement/status-of-ratification
[ 28 ] UNFPA. 2009. Etat de la population mondiale 2009, face à un monde qui change : les femmes, la population et le climat. Fond des Nations Unies pour la population. New York
[ 29 ] Unitar. 2010a. Understanding climate change and global vulnerability. module I. Coll. climate change diplomacy. Available at wwwunitar.org/mdp
[ 30 ] Unitar. 2010b. Introduction to climate change diplomacy. module II. Coll. climate change diplomacy. Available at www.unitar.org/mdp
[ 31 ] Voiland A. 2011. “To What Degree is Extreme Weather Linked to Climate Change?” Available at https://blogs.nasa.gov/whatonearth/2011/12/06/post_1321896724591/
[ 32 ] World Commission on Environment and Development. 1987. “Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future”. Available at http://www.un-documents.net/our-common-future.pdf