Global Environmental Issues And Global Governance

Nowadays, with the development of science and growth of mankind's capacity for transforming nature, the interaction between man and nature is getting more intense. There appears a series of global environmental issues. Those issues have the features of being global, long-term, transideological and complicated. Not only are they a threat to the survival of humankind, but also they bring forth new subjects to the international politics. They challenge the traditional concept of national sovereignty, national security and national interests. However, the international political reality hasn't changed, which makes them "the tragedy of commons". Global climate change is a typical case.Since the 20th century, the global climate has shown the tendency of getting warmer. The main reason for it is that such glasshouse gases as CO2, CH4 and so on in the atmosphere have become denser than ever because of industrial and agricultural production. Global warming will be a big threat to the survival of mankind. Since the 1970s the international community has made great efforts to solve the problem. The UN approved The Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992, and, in order to put it into practice, the UN enacted a statutory protocol-the Kyoto Protocol in 1997,which mainly sets the amounts of glasshouse gases that should be reduced by developed countries. But there is serious disagreement between member countries with regard to both the specific measures for carrying out the protocol so as to make sure that the developed countries keep their promise, and the way to settle the problem of climate change. In particular, the United States' announcement of disapproval of the protocol in 2001 made the prospect of its validation slim. The reasons for the difficulty in its validation lie in the objection of the US, the contradiction between nations concerning the control of greenhouse gases' release, domestic political conflicts and the scientific uncertainty of climate change. This fact deeply reflects the conflicts, in the process of solving global environmental issues, between humans' interests and national interests in the international community.Under the circumstances of anarchy, it's for the "commons" of environmental issues that the resolution of those conflicts demands multilateral cooperation, and, on the basis of it, global coordination and planning, which are called "Global Governance". Global governance is motivated by all humans' common interests. It can circumvent the obstacles set by the traditional concept of national sovereignty, security and interests in the process of solving the global environmental issues, and solve those issues through the diversity and decentralization of power and concentration of multinational linking network, all reflected in it. The specific measures to solve the global environmental problems include: First, it's necessary to reinforce the function of international organizations and to institute and perfect the international systems. Second, nations of sovereignty must take active measures to control global issues including climate change. Third, we must pay attention to the role multinational companies play in those issues-that is, providing technology standards, and offering technical and monetary supports. Fourth, we must also reinforce the role that social groups and individuals play in those issues.