The Green International Relations Theory Politics Essay

In the recent past, a lesser known but a vital topic in International Relations has been introduced which deals with the trans-boundary/inter-country ecological problem, known as Green Theory.

Green IR Theory is more radical in nature compared to other theories of IR and is inspired by factors outside the purview of IR Theory, thus increasing awareness on the ecological blindness of IR theory (Eckersley, 2010). It came as a movement against environmental problems which are the unforeseen byproduct of other acceptable practices. “They are the stowaways of normal consumption” (Beck 1992:40). Green theory analysts look at real world environmental problems differently as compared to Realism or Neoliberalism or critical theory preachers. Realists assume constant struggle between the various member states of the global world and don’t think environmental problems have any role in national security. Neo liberals do acknowledge environmental challenges and want to tweak the incentive structures in order to bring about cooperation amongst various countries (Eckersley, 2010).Critical theorists reject such solution designing which fails to take into consideration the social and economic structures of the country. Green theory analysts base their line of study on non-human nature, needs of future generations and ecological risk distribution.

Green Theory does contribute to our understanding the world politics and environmental issues by way of Green Political Theory which has three main features namely Eco centric ethics, Decentralization of Power and limits to Growth. These features reconstruct the world politics keeping the environment in clear view. Green Theory talks about the need of political transformation worldwide. It does try to address and respond to the environmental challenges by suggesting ecological modernization and a shared solution designing. But these solutions need to be propagated across the world on a global scale, which has not been seen yet.

Green theory suggests that through environmental governance around the globe, we should be targeting to respect all life forms and not only protect the current human society but also other forms of life which are crucial to main the balance of bio diversity which in turn is essential to human life survival only. Green theory’s analysts argue on the fact that humans are the most complex and developed species on the mankind, henceforth it is our moral duty to respect all the other life forms coexisting along with us. Mankind should not be showing his human chauvinism where it would be destroying or using the earth’s natural resources injudiciously for his own personal development leaving nothing for the other forms (Barry, 1992).

As per Green theory, there have been environmental injustices prevalent across the globe wherein few of the privileged communities, societies or nations try to capture the larger share of the environment and exploit it fully for their technological advancement and try to justify the same leaving very little share for the other under-developed or lesser privileged nations. This has been majorly found wherein the developed nations around the world leave a larger carbon footprint on the globe and then preach and force to reduce the carbon footprint of the developing and the under-developed nations of the world. Therefore one of the basic aims of the Green Theory is to reduce the ecological risks across the world and also to ensure that fair share of the environment and resources are given to all the communities preventing the unfair distribution resources to lesser communities (Goodwin, 1992).

There is a concept of Ecological Modernization (Hajer, 1995) proposed which states that technological advancement, innovation and economic growth should take place using steps which consumes less energy and resources and also keeps the waste produces/per unit of GDP to the minimum. Each nation needs to have an environmental governance program which could ensure modernization of the economy with least resources exploited. This win-win situation has been welcomed by the Green theory and also being pushed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

All the above discussed environmental problems and their probable solutions have been absorbed by the two approaches of International Relations theory (Neorealism and Neoliberalism) differently (Hayward, 1995). On one hand, Neorealism scholars have mostly rejected this idea of ‘Green’ International Relations theory and dismissed the idea of environment conservation, but on the other hand, Neoliberals have embraced this idea. They have also conducted ground level research, working on empirical solutions to deal with these trans-boundary environmental concerns. They have conducted studies and researches to find out whether nations would be willing to cooperate and share on the idea of environmental protection and check their economic advancement keeping in mind the economic factors and resources being exploited. Thus they have primarily accepted this idea in International Relations observing, explaining and predicting actions of nations for the same (Karlsson, 2010).

Thus we can see that in order to implement the Green International Theory on actual basis, it is an absolute must that all the parties, nations and communities affected by the decisions and risks should also be a part of making the IR theory in one way or the other. Along with this Green theory scholars also emphasize that since environmental crisis is a shared problem, therefore the solution designing should also be a shared responsibility (Trainer, 1985). The nations need to conduct a collaborative research, build trusts and work on the common environmental goals to conserve the depleting resources and also maintain their technological advancement hand in hand. The Green International Relations theory has had significant changes in the recent past and is now and all together a new and a separate stream of this IR theory.

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