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ControversialCaleb South on September 4, 2016 at 1:30 amReply
I think a supranational organization may or may not be effective. Some of the U.N.’s goals and initiatives are remarkably successful, and others clearly aren’t—and it’s hard to see any way to make them work better. However, anything short of a major international agreement certainly *won’t* be effective. That is, a supranational body might not succeed in halting climate change, but on the other hand it might, and that’s more than we can say about letting countries do what they please.
Every year since 1995, representatives from around the world have come together for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (also called COP: Conference of the Parties) to discuss how we can halt climate change and prevent a global climate catastrophe. At the most recent conference, in Paris, almost 200 countries were represented. Despite all this, annual global carbon emissions have continued to increase.
One approach to addressing this problem would be the formation a supranational body tasked with overseeing the climate mitigation efforts of countries around the world. Rather than leaving it up to each country to implement changes, this organization could have the power to hold countries responsible to climate reduction targets, punish violations, and resolve disputes.
Do you think a supranational organization like this would be effective at halting climate change? Or should countries retain the authority to make their own decisions when it comes to climate change policy?