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Global Warming, Climate Change and World Environmental Degradation

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Contemporary Issues in International Political Economy

Abstract

Climate change is a long-lasting global issue. Despite its urgency, international communities are rather slow to work out a feasible solution. In this chapter, we start with an overview of pollution around the world and then proceed to the discussion of environmental justice. The chapter concludes that there are weak political and economic incentives for countries to bind a coherent agreement on climate change. The argument is illustrated by examples around the world.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    https://www.who.int/phe/health_topics/outdoorair/en/; access on 26 November 2018.

  2. 2.

    http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode42/usc_sec_42_00007602%2D%2D%2D%2D000-.html; access on 30 November 2018.

  3. 3.

    https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/7602; access on 21 October 2018.

  4. 4.

    For pollutants’ impact on health, see Li (2014).

  5. 5.

    http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/drinking-water; access on 26 November 2018.

  6. 6.

    https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/styles/large/public/2016-07/acidity-download2-2016.png; access on 26 November 2018.

  7. 7.

    The national standards on water quality are set by the WHO’s Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality (WHO 2017).

  8. 8.

    http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality-and-health; access on 20 November 2018.

  9. 9.

    https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice; access on 11 November 2018.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economics and Finance, Hong Kong Shue Yan University, North Point, Hong Kong

    Edward C. H. Tang

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  1. Edward C. H. Tang
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Correspondence to Edward C. H. Tang .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Hong Kong Shue Yan University, North Point, Hong Kong

    Fu-Lai Tony Yu

  2. The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

    Diana S. Kwan

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Tang, E.C.H. (2019). Global Warming, Climate Change and World Environmental Degradation. In: Yu, FL.T., Kwan, D.S. (eds) Contemporary Issues in International Political Economy. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-6462-4_13

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