This essay will analyse one possible cause for addressing climate change with varying efforts that is often neglected in the climate policy literature: countries’ vulnerability to climate-related risks (e.g. floods, droughts, tropical storms). Under the most important factors that influence the degree to which a country is vulnerable are its geographical location and level of economic development. Hence, exacerbated by their dependency on especially vulnerable economic sectors such as agriculture, low-income countries face the biggest climate-related risks.
Generally, two ways of addressing climate change can be differentiated: adaptation and mitigation. While most of the adaptation literature to the minimization of climate-related risks is about strategies of developing countries, literature about their mitigation efforts – understood here as policy decisions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – is still rare. A similar picture can be drawn for emerging economies – countries that are not recognised as industrialised countries, despite the high growth rates of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and newly emerging middle classes. Thus, the question can be raised to what extent vulnerability is a reason for them to address climate change.
To explore this topic, I will firstly lay out a research design (Most Similar Systems) that enables us to compare the vulnerability and mitigation efforts of Brazil, India and South Africa. I will focus on these countries and their mitigation efforts since they are among the biggest emerging economies which are, in general, expected to be “by far the most important source of future emission growth” (Urpelainen and van de Graaf 2017: 6). Based on my findings in the subsequent analysis, it can be said that a country’s vulnerability to climate-related risks plays no significant role in mitigating GHG emissions and consequently addressing climate change. This main argument will be critically discussed in the conclusion and research gaps identified.
In this essay, the dependent variable will be the strength of mitigation efforts of Brazil, India and South Africa to reduce their GHG emissions. As one of the two components of climate policy, the strength of mitigation efforts can be understood as the “extent to which the statutory provisions of climate policies are likely to restrict GHG emissions if implemented as intended” (Compston and Bailey 2016: 145).
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Research design
3. Analysis
4. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Topics
This essay explores whether a country's vulnerability to climate-related risks serves as a driver for stronger mitigation efforts, specifically focusing on the emerging economies of Brazil, India, and South Africa through a comparative research design.
- Analysis of climate-related risk vulnerability across emerging economies.
- Evaluation of national mitigation efforts via Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs).
- Application of the Most Similar Systems Design to compare climate policy performance.
- Critical discussion of the relationship between climate risk exposure and policy output.
- Review of empirical data from the Climate Risk Index and Climate Change Performance Index.
Excerpt from the Book
2. Research design
In this essay, the dependent variable will be the strength of mitigation efforts of Brazil, India and South Africa to reduce their GHG emissions. As one of the two components of climate policy, the strength of mitigation efforts can be understood as the “extent to which the statutory provisions of climate policies are likely to restrict GHG emissions if implemented as intended” (Compston and Bailey 2016: 145). Suitable indicators to measure this extent are policy outputs (levels of political commitment to mitigation) and policy outcomes (emission levels and trends) (Bättig and Bernauer 2009: 281). These indicators will be compared by drawing to country’s Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC’s), the trajectory of their GHG emissions, and an index measuring their climate change performance.
The independent variable, a country’s vulnerability to climate-related risks, can be defined as “the degree to which a system is susceptible to, and unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate change, including climate variability and extremes […]” (International Panel on Climate Change 2007). This variable will be operationalized by assessing the three countries’ self-perceived degree of concern and another index measuring their experience with climate-related risks. Hence, the following hypothesis can be derived:
The higher a country’s vulnerability to climate-related risks, the stronger are its efforts to mitigate GHG emissions, and vice versa.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the research gap regarding the impact of climate vulnerability on policy and sets the objective to compare Brazil, India, and South Africa.
2. Research design: This chapter defines the variables and the hypothesis that higher vulnerability leads to stronger mitigation efforts, while justifying the selection of the three countries based on a Most Similar Systems Design.
3. Analysis: The analysis compares the countries' self-assessed vulnerability and empirical data from the Climate Risk Index against their specific mitigation commitments and performance metrics.
4. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes the finding that vulnerability does not significantly influence mitigation efforts and suggests directions for future research into public awareness and policy dimensions.
Keywords
Climate Change, Mitigation Efforts, Emerging Economies, Vulnerability, Brazil, India, South Africa, INDC, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Climate Risk Index, CCPI, Climate Policy, Most Similar Systems Design, Policy Output, Environmental Performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this essay?
The essay examines whether a nation's vulnerability to climate-related risks effectively explains its dedication to mitigation efforts and climate policy development.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The work covers climate policy literature, adaptation versus mitigation strategies, economic development levels, and the comparative analysis of emerging economies.
What is the central research question?
The study asks to what extent a country's susceptibility to climate-related risks functions as a primary driver for it to commit to and implement GHG emission reduction policies.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author utilizes a "Most Similar Systems Design" to conduct a comparative analysis of Brazil, India, and South Africa, using qualitative and quantitative indicators to test a derived hypothesis.
What does the main body analyze?
The main body evaluates countries' self-perceived vulnerability, cross-references these with the Climate Risk Index (CRI), and contrasts these findings with the ambition levels found in the countries' Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs).
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Climate Change, Mitigation Efforts, Vulnerability, Emerging Economies, GHG emissions, and Climate Policy.
How does India's vulnerability compare to the other studied nations?
Based on both self-assessment and the Climate Risk Index, India is identified as the most vulnerable country among the three, followed by South Africa and Brazil.
Does the evidence support the hypothesis?
The empirical evidence contradicts the hypothesis; despite being the most vulnerable, India does not necessarily undertake the strongest mitigation efforts, suggesting other factors are at play.
Why are these three specific countries chosen for the study?
Brazil, India, and South Africa were chosen because they share similar criteria regarding their status as emerging middle-income economies, their democratic rankings, and their position as significant global GHG emitters.
- Quote paper
- Max Schmidt (Author), 2018, What explains cross-national variation in efforts to address climate change?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/502807
