Environmental politics matters
The study and practice of international relations has significantly evolved from understanding the relationships between States or societies to understanding the environment and its impact on development, peace, and global governance.
In international relations discourse, the traditional view of environmental politics focuses on how States, governments and policies respond to environmental challenges.
Nonetheless, international environmental politics pays attention to how States, governments and policies coordinate or fail to respond to environmental challenges.
Therefore, it revolves around issues related to worldwide public benefits, challenges in collective efforts, diplomatic negotiations and the establishment of international frameworks.
Contemporary scholars such as Professor Edward Newman and Professor Jan Selby assert that the environment is central to global politics and economy.
In 2011, Malawi’s third president Bingu Wa Mutharika embarked on construction of the Shire-Zambezi Waterway to open the landlocked country’s access to the Indian Ocean in Mozambique.
The African Development Bank approved the multinational feasibility study for the project promising a less costly and more reliable alternative route to the coastal ports.
The project was expected to benefit Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia by lowering transportation costs, making imported goods affordable and boosting regional integration.
However, as some researchers and scholars suggested, it did not come to fruition due to poor diplomacy.
Mutharika’s administration ignored international environmental politics crucial to attaining worldwide public benefits from resources. Diplomatic negotiations and establishing international frameworks are fundamental to attaining economic stability.
Recently, the media reported that Malawi is sitting on precious commodities such as gold, uranium and oil.
The country has started exploiting some of these commodities, but many remain in the soil.
International environmental politics has to come into play for Malawi to reap the economic benefits of these endowments.
In international relations, traditional quiet diplomacy, unlike megaphone diplomacy, pays huge dividends because the sovereignty of other states matters.
The effects of climate change are a global phenomenon and Malawi is not spared.
The sting of climate change can be addressed by understanding global environmental politics. Therefore, Malawi should not only be attending environmental conferences but also establish policies to make global environmental politics beneficial.
Malawi should engage in diplomatic efforts to raise awareness of its social-environmental challenges and promote global cooperation in addressing shared environmental concerns or benefits.
In his Nobel Peace Prize lecture in 2010, former US president Barack Obama said States are likely to face more scarcity, starvation and migration if they ignore the pressure exerted on the environment.
Capacity building remains one of the central pillars of development in developing nations.
Developing countries should invest in education and training in programmes that aim at building local capacity in sustainable agriculture, forestry and water management but also in international environmental politics and international relations.
Where lacking, it must collaborate with international partners to provide technical assistance and expertise in environmental politics and management.
Universities and colleges in Malawi already have expertise to be exploited.
Nonetheless, these scholars and researchers need the government’s support and recognition to propel Malawi to greater heights and enjoy the benefits of international environmental politics.
As the study and practice of international relations theories suggest, implementing these policies requires collaboration between Malawi, other developing nations and the international community for an effective approach to global environmental politics.
The global political economy is complex and understanding international environmental politics is crucial in unbundling the phenomenon.
Without debating the ambiguity and complexity of international environmental politics as a subfield of international relations, incorporating the environment in contemporary politics is fundamental to security, development and peace
