With the constant threat of climate change looming over the world, there is a need for a proposal that can adequately deal with climate change. Current measures seem inadequate to deal with climate...Show moreWith the constant threat of climate change looming over the world, there is a need for a proposal that can adequately deal with climate change. Current measures seem inadequate to deal with climate change. Therefore, a radical change is needed and this can be achieved through degrowth and sufficientarianism. This thesis finds that implementing degrowth in combination with sufficientarianism is better equipped to deal with climate change and the distributional issues it raises, than other proposals such as green growth. Degrowth makes sure that we abide by the earth’s ecological ceiling, while sufficientarianism ensures that everyone has enough and that current resources will be justly distributed.Show less
Bachelor thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (BSc)
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This thesis explores the similarities and differences on social media of adolescents and young adults, in Europe, who are in denial or not regarding climate change. Also, the public figures’ online...Show moreThis thesis explores the similarities and differences on social media of adolescents and young adults, in Europe, who are in denial or not regarding climate change. Also, the public figures’ online activism, Naomi Seibt (young German climate-denier activist) and Greta Thunberg (young Swedish climate activist), are rigorously studied to draw comparisons between non- deniers and deniers. Then, the research question addressed in this thesis is: What are the similarities and differences between the young individuals, in Europe, who are in denial or not regarding climate change, on social media? To compare both groups online, a contextualization background and a justification are provided to understand why some young individuals remain in denial despite a scientific consensus convinced on the existence and negative impacts of climate change. Also, it explores which social actors outside the scope of this thesis can benefit from the analysis brought. Additionally, the main social actors (non-deniers, deniers, and social media) are defined, and a theory is drawn to brainstorm this thesis’ puzzle. In terms of methodology, literature review and research on Seibt’s and Thunberg’s social media activities have been performed, and ethical considerations have been taken into account to not harm observed online users. Furthermore, similarities and differences between non-deniers and deniers individuals are extensively examined in four empirical sections. The first one explores the social factors and background that would lead one to express denial or not. The second one discusses the conceptualisation of science by both groups on social media. The third section talks about the identity formation regarding climate change online. The last one analyses the expressed mistrust on social media, individuals in denial or not have in wider societal structures and social actors. Finally, concluding remarks and further suggested research is detailed.Show less
The European Union has been recognised as a unique international organisation in its securitisation of climate change. The organisation has successfully securitised climate change since 2008,...Show moreThe European Union has been recognised as a unique international organisation in its securitisation of climate change. The organisation has successfully securitised climate change since 2008, prioritising it on the policy agenda. This securitisation has been established through speech acts defining climate change as a threat. This thesis examines the security narratives invoked in European Parliamentary debates from 2005 to 2011, focusing on the different security framings of climate change as a threat, and how these have changed over time. It argues that before the securitisation of climate change, the European Parliament framed climate change predominantly through ‘low politics’ security narratives like cooperative, environmental, and human security framings. Remarkably, this did not change after the securitisation of climate change, while it was expected that ‘high politics’ security narratives like global and national security would be more dominant. Ultimately, this thesis shows that when addressing climate change, the European Parliament frames the issue as a threat primarily through ‘low politics’ narratives, both in the three years before and the three years after the successful securitisation of climate change.Show less
This thesis delves into how social movements mobilize participants to protest on a large scale. Recently, climate protests have expanded to a global scale. In September 2019, social movements like...Show moreThis thesis delves into how social movements mobilize participants to protest on a large scale. Recently, climate protests have expanded to a global scale. In September 2019, social movements like FridaysForFuture and Extinction Rebellion mobilized an unprecedented number of youths to engage in climate protest action. This research focuses on Extinction Rebellion, due to their radical action and global appeal, and investigates their mobilization media in the form of E-mail newsletters available on their online archive. The methodology is theoretically inspired by Grounded Theory; systematically codes selected newsletters to identify frames employed by Extinction Rebellion and discusses how they are utilized to mobilize the youthShow less
The continuous urbanisation of our surroundings has led to an increase in environmental problems. In addition to the process of urbanisation negatively impacting the quality of our environment, it...Show moreThe continuous urbanisation of our surroundings has led to an increase in environmental problems. In addition to the process of urbanisation negatively impacting the quality of our environment, it also directly supports climate change. Consequently, the two major global trends lead to a notable increase in the unpredictability and magnitude of flooding hazards that can cause substantial damage to cities and their population. Though there are preliminary flood prevention strategies already in place, governments and policymakers struggle to formulate more integrated approaches and policies so as to fully prevent adverse consequences originating from extreme flooding events. This thesis studies the extreme pluvial floods that have severely affected many countries and regions in Western Europe, leading to economic decline, infrastructural damages, and loss of life. During two days in July 2021, the sudden appearance of these urban pluvial floods has left many countries such as Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands devastated by the destruction of their cities and villages as many areas were left submerged underwater. In an effort to understand the effectiveness of already existent adaptation plans and water management policies in averting potential flood events, this paper will provide a comparative analysis of said policies and plans for both the Netherlands and Belgium. Hence, their approach to water management policies will be investigated to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures implemented prior to the extreme urban floods, followed by an evaluation of the adaptations of these policies after the events.Show less
Climate change is becoming an increasingly significant global issue. One part of the world has become a particular focus of the possible impacts of this issue : The Sahel. Whilst the contribution...Show moreClimate change is becoming an increasingly significant global issue. One part of the world has become a particular focus of the possible impacts of this issue : The Sahel. Whilst the contribution of the Sahel to climate change is extremely limited, it will nevertheless be the area most impacted by climatic variations. Rising temperatures, longer droughts, more frequent floods and extremer storms are predicted to increasingly jeopardize the security and livelihood of millions of people living in the Sahel. Along with this is the fear that climate change will foster conflict. This thesis will argue that climate change does not directly cause conflict but instead functions as a ‘threat multiplier.’ Mali is used as the specific area of research and the conflicts between the Dogon farmers and Fulani herders will be used as a case study. This research will show how political exclusion, jihadism, forced sedentarism, a corrupt justice system and heavy-handed practices introduced by the colonial regime have been exacerbated by climate change and have consequently led to violent armed conflicts.Show less
The Responsibility to Protect principle assigns states individually and the international community as a whole the duty to protect all peoples against the atrocity crimes: genocide, ethnic...Show moreThe Responsibility to Protect principle assigns states individually and the international community as a whole the duty to protect all peoples against the atrocity crimes: genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes and crimes against humanity. To best fulfil this duty, it is important to consider what factors increase the potential for these crimes. In order to examine whether climate change increases the potential for atrocity crimes, this thesis aims to answer the following question: should addressing climate change be regarded as part of the State’s Responsibility to Protect? To this end, it explores how climate change influences the risk for atrocity crimes in Mali and Nigeria. It does so through applying the relevant risk factors and indicators from the United Nations Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes to the current situations in these countries. The analysis shows that climate change does indeed increase the risk for atrocity crimes. It does so indirectly, especially through inducing more resource scarcity and economic hardships. Consequently, this thesis concludes that climate change should be addressed as part of the State’s Responsibility to Protect. It encourages states and the international community to include climate change in their strategies to adhere to this duty.Show less
The FAO main objective is to end world hunger. The methods the FAO employs to do so however, have been heavily criticized. This paper sets out to explain why the FAO is so reluctant to propose...Show moreThe FAO main objective is to end world hunger. The methods the FAO employs to do so however, have been heavily criticized. This paper sets out to explain why the FAO is so reluctant to propose policies that can have an impact, instead of proposing policies that are rather ambiguous and sometimes even hurt the cause.Show less
This thesis will use Gunter Schubert’s model for policy analysis in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to examine how the PRC’s government structure is affecting its climate change policies....Show moreThis thesis will use Gunter Schubert’s model for policy analysis in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to examine how the PRC’s government structure is affecting its climate change policies. After explaining why it is important for the PRC’s government to address the issue of climate change, it will analyze the output zone, implementation zone, and evaluation zone of the green policy process. In the end, this thesis concludes that although the PRC is facing difficulties with implementing green policies at the local level, increased checks by both the central and public level are steadily increasing overall green policy efficiency.Show less
