Lecture 14.1

The Politics of Climate Change

Emmanuel Teitelbaum

Collective Action Theory

Implications

• Climate action requires mechanisms for international monitoring and sanctions for non-cooperation

• Countries will take action on climate change reciprocally

• Defection by key players will cause other defections

Climate Agreements

Stylized Facts

• Climate action continues despite free-riding behavior

• Public supports climate action unconditionally

• National actors behave unconditionally

Climate Action

Source: Aklin and Mildenberger

Public Opinion

Source: Aklin and Mildenberger

National Actors

• Defections defined by unconditional non-cooperators

• Driven by concerns of special interests, e.g. fossil fuel industry

• Role of misinformation, e.g. climate change denial

Role of Domestic Actors and Institutions

• What are some key reasons for resistance to climate action in domestic politics?

• Who are winners and losers of climate action? How do interests affect policy?

• Best explanation for lack of climate action in U.S.?

Thinking Comparatively

• How can theories from this course to explain cross-national differences in climate action?
  • Polanyi
  • Modernization theory
  • Distributive politics
  • Varieties of capitalism
  • Three worlds of welfare capitalism
  • Populism