Climate Action in a Globalizing World: Comparative Perspectives on Environmental Movements in the Global North (Environmental Politics)

The existence and urgency of global climate change is a matter of scientific consensus. Yet the global politics of climate change have been anything but consensual. In this context, a wave of global climate activism has emerged in the last decade in response to the perceived failure of the political negotiations. This book provides a unique comparative study of environmental movements in USA, Japan, Denmark and Sweden, analyzing their interaction with the international climate institutions of the United Nations, with national governments, and with currents in the global climate movement. It documents how and why the movement evolved between the Copenhagen Summit of 2009 and the Paris Summit of 2015, altering its strategies and tactics while attracting new actors to the issue area. Further, it demonstrates how the development of global environmental networks has increased contact between environmental movements in the Global North and those from the Global South, resulting in the establishment of ‘climate justice’ as a political cause and unifying frame for global climate activism. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of figures List of contributors List of abbreviations Preface 1. Climate action in a globalizing world: An introduction Introduction: From the Warsaw walkout to the Paris Agreement Climate activism and global governance National comparisons in the context of political globalization Green governance – a critical view Social movements – national, international, transnational and global Movement institutionalization and globalization Advanced liberal government, resistance and responsibilization Institutionalization and (de-)politicization National cases in a global context Main arguments and structure of the book Notes References PART I: Global perspectives: COP as a space for climate activism 2. Climate justice, equity and movement mobilization The emergence of climate justice as a movement concept Climate justice as a nodal point of global climate activism from Warsaw to Paris Justice and/or equity? – a struggle over interpretation Conclusion Notes References 3. Governing dissent in a state of emergency: Police and protester interactions in the global space of the COP Protest policing and summit protests in the twenty-first century The state of exception in practice and in principle Climate protests and their policing prior to COP21 Protest and its policing in Paris 2015 The run-up to COP21 November 29: Place de la République False Solutions COP21 Red Lines Governing (through) uncertainty Conclusion Notes References 4. Mobilizing emotions in the global sphere: Global solidarity and the regime of rationality Introduction Emotions in social movements Climate justice and global political solidarity Solidarities and COY Organizational politics (1): Spaces Organizational politics (2): Inclusions and divisions On-site feeling rules: The emotional regime and politics at COP Emotional regimes in contrast: rationality vs. solidarity Coping and adaptation Conclusion Notes References 5. COP as a global public sphere: News media frames, movement frames, and the media standing of climate movement actors Critical and constructionist approaches to the media coverage of social movements Climate movements and media representations in four newspapers Japan: Asahi Shimbun Denmark: Politiken Sweden: Dagens Nyheter The United States: New York Times Concluding discussion Note References PART II: National environmental movements in a global context: Denmark, Japan, Sweden and the United States 6. Learning from defeat: The strategic reorientation of the U.S. climate movement Introduction The U.S. climate movement: From Earth Day to the People’s Climate March How does defeat affect mobilization? The narrative of defeat in the U.S. climate movement Target diversification post-Copenhagen Reinforcing the “outside game” Climate justice and normative change Conclusion: The U.S. movement in comparative perspective Notes References 7. Between government and grassroots: Challenges to institutionalization in the Japanese environmental movement The institutionalization of climate activism in Japan The run-up to Copenhagen and the lack of a climate justice discourse in Japan Post-Copenhagen and post-Fukushima directions Conclusion Notes References 8. Denmark – from a green economy toward a new eco-radicalism? Introduction Institutionalization of the Danish environmental movement Moments of mobilization The climate justice framework Renewed eco-radicalism and politicization of climate change Conclusion Notes References Online sources 9. The Swedish environmental movement: Politics of responsibility between climate justice and local transition Introduction The Swedish Environmental Movement, 1970–2000: Institutionalization and globalization The 2000s: The emergence of climate activism Climate justice – the Swedish version Politics of responsibility: Institutionalization and responsibilization Conclusion Notes References PART III: Concluding reflections: New perspectives on climate action 10. Hegemony and environmentalist strategy: Global governance, movement mobilization and climate justice Taking on the responsibility to address climate change: Climate governance as self-government COP as a global public sphere and a space for mobilization Environmental movements in the Global North: In between national politics and globalizing moments Environmentalist strategy and movement unity: From Warsaw to Paris and beyond Notes References Appendix: Method and material The research project Interviews Field work during COP meetings Other participant observations Media analysis Observations of demonstrations and police–protester interaction Surveys Other material Interviews Index Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- List of figures -- List of contributors -- List of abbreviations -- Preface -- 1. Climate action in a globalizing world: An introduction -- Introduction: From the Warsaw walkout to the Paris Agreement -- Climate activism and global governance -- National comparisons in the context of political globalization -- Green governance - a critical view -- Social movements - national, international, transnational and global -- Movement institutionalization and globalization -- Advanced liberal government, resistance and responsibilization -- Institutionalization and (de- )politicization -- National cases in a global context -- Main arguments and structure of the book -- Notes -- References -- PART I: Global perspectives: COP as a space for climate activism -- 2. Climate justice, equity and movement mobilization -- The emergence of climate justice as a movement concept -- Climate justice as a nodal point of global climate activism from Warsaw to Paris -- Justice and/or equity? - a struggle over interpretation -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- 3. Governing dissent in a state of emergency: Police and protester interactions in the global space of the COP -- Protest policing and summit protests in the twenty-first century -- The state of exception in practice and in principle -- Climate protests and their policing prior to COP21 -- Protest and its policing in Paris 2015 -- The run-up to COP21 -- November 29: Place de la République -- False Solutions COP21 -- Red Lines -- Governing (through) uncertainty -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- 4. Mobilizing emotions in the global sphere: Global solidarity and the regime of rationality -- Introduction -- Emotions in social movements -- Climate justice and global political solidarity -- Solidarities and COY Climate Action In A Globalizing World : An Introduction / Håkan Thörn, Carl Cassegård, Linda Soneryd And Åsa Wettergren -- Climate Justice, Equity And Movement Mobilization / Carl Cassegård And Håkan Thörn -- Governing Dissent In A State Of Emergency : Police And Protester Interactions In The Global Space Of The Cop / Mattias Wahlström And Joost De Moor -- Mobilizing Emotions In The Global Sphere : Global Solidarity And The Regime Of Rationality / Jochen Kleres And Åsa Wettergren -- Cop As A Global Public Sphere : News Media Frames, Movement Frames And Media Standing Of Climate Movement Actors / Linda Soneryd, Carl Cassegård -- Learning From Defeat : The Strategic Reorientation Of The U.s. Climate Movement / Jennifer Hadden -- Between Government And Grassroots : Challenges To Institutionalization In The Japanese Environmental Movement / Carl Cassegård -- Denmark : From A Green Economy Toward A New Eco-radicalism? / Åsa Wettergren And Linda Soneryd -- The Swedish Environmental Movement : Politics Of Responsibility Between Climate Justice And Local Transition / Håkan Thörn And Sebastian Svenberg -- Hegemony And Environmentalist Strategy : Global Governance, Movement Mobilization, And Climate Justice / Håkan Thörn, Carl Cassegård, Linda Soneryd And Åsa Wettergren. Edited By Carl Cassegård, Linda Soneryd, Håkan Thörn And Åsa Wettergren. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Climate action in a globalizing world : an introduction / Hakan Thorn, Carl Cassegard, Linda Soneryd and Asa Wettergren -- Climate justice, equity and movement mobilization / Carl Cassegard and Hakan Thorn -- Governing dissent in a state of emergency : police and protester interactions in the global space of the COP / Mattias Wahlstrom and Joost de Moor -- Mobilizing emotions in the global sphere : global solidarity and the regime of rationality / Jochen Kleres and Asa Wettergren -- COP as a global public sphere : news media frames, movement frames and media standing of climate movement actors / Linda Soneryd, Carl Cassegard -- Learning from defeat : the strategic reorientation of the U.S. climate movement / Jennifer Hadden -- Between government and grassroots : challenges to institutionalization in the Japanese environmental movement / Carl Cassegard -- Denmark : from a green economy toward a new eco-radicalism? / Asa Wettergren and Linda Soneryd -- The Swedish environmental movement : politics of responsibility between climate justice and local transition / Hakan Thorn and Sebastian Svenberg -- Hegemony and environmentalist strategy : global governance, movement mobilization, and climate justice / Hakan Thorn, Carl Cassegard, Linda Soneryd and Asa Wettergren