Would political leaders convening at Copenhagen be able to produce an international convention that will be able to combat climate change? According to Professor Gerry Simpson, this  question fundamentally concerns our faith in international law.

In ‘Why cant we all just agree?’, Simpson asserts that various factors including the possibility of states free-riding; states having no interest in signing the agreement; the problem of historical responsibility and state sovereignty may inhibit a much needed international agreement.

Despite these issues, he believes it is possible that negotiations may still lead to an important agreement (or at least a blueprint for future agreements) due to collective interest. After all, the history of international relations have shown that states can still reach a consensus even when obstacles abound (for example. the Montreal Protocol curbing CFC emissions).

While Simpson’s analyses pertain to the nature of international law making and enforcement, certain unresolved concerns are still inherent in his assumptions.

First, unlike other issues, climate change is a pressing problem that requires immediate action. For example, the safety zone to prevent CO2 from reaching 350 ppm (parts per million) in our atmosphere. If the negotiations lead to an agreement that is non-binding or too weak, we might end up assuming that much of climate change issues are being resolved.

Second, the issue of climate change extends to other areas such as human rights and business. For example, while we could ban CFC production with the Montreal Protocol, such a possibility is highly unlikely (though perhaps desirable) with banning coal production and burning since they  constitute an important energy-contributing sector. Climate change also affects other issues related to human rights such as food security. Given the complexity and the inter-relatedness of the issues, are states able to take these issues into considerations during negotiations?

Lastly, there are still uncertainties associated with current proposed policy mechanisms on dealing with climate change. For example, the emissions trading scheme in the EU has been criticised for  over-allocation, windfall profits, price volatility, and inability to meet its goals. While climate debt has been raised as a possibility to help developing countries manage climate change, there are still unresolved problems such as how much should each state pay and how such funds can be properly managed.

The above comments are not meant to disparage the importance of international law on how it can help reduce climate change impacts. Rather, it points to the complications of global warming.

Posted in Politics Tagged: climate change, international law ]]> http://aussgworldpolitics.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/international-law-climate-change/feed/ 1 Charles http://aussgworldpolitics.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/exploitation-of-migrant-workers-in-israel/ http://aussgworldpolitics.wordpress.com/2009/11/20/exploitation-of-migrant-workers-in-israel/#comments Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:19:33 +0000 Charles http://aussgworldpolitics.wordpress.com/?p=1555 ]]>

According to the NLC who recently released a report by Kav LaOved, an Israeli and Palestinian NGO that seeks to protect workers’ rights, many migrant workers in Israel’s agricultural sector are being exploited and face slave labor conditions.

In the report, Agricultural Migrant Workers in Israel, the organisation documented various human rights violations such as workers being coerced to work longer hours than the legal requirements; workers not being paid for overtime work; salaries being delayed or lower than the minimum wage; and high incidences of work-related accidents as a result of safety codes violations e.t.c.

Amongst the findings are the disturbing allegations of the trafficking of Thai migrant workers amongst farmers,

… Just as the local farmer (whether in a Kibbutz, Moshav or an individual farm) is allocated water and land by the State, the farmer is also entitled to a Thai workers allocation, provided the farmer really has a farm and does not trade workers. If a farmer manages to accrue sufficient land and water allowances, he also controls migrant worker allowances. As a result an agricultural oligarchy has been created in Israel, which illegally leases land, water and migrant worker allocations from former farmers…

In one case,

… The Rabbi of a large Moshav in the Eshkol Region, who does not farm, recently hired out his three Thai workers to another farmer for 800 shekels per month per person. The Rabbi gave a discount because the normal rate is 1,000 shekels per month without invoices. Most of the agricultural black market deals are done in cash, and the agricultural establishment seems to be encouraging them…

According to Peter Oborne and James Jones who made this documentary for channel 4, the influence of the pro- Israel lobby is significant in the UK. For example,during the production of this film,

… Many people who privately voiced concerns about the influence of the lobby simply felt they had too much to lose by confronting it. One national newspaper editor told us, “that’s one lobby I’ve never dared to take on.” From MPs, to senior BBC journalists and representatives of Britain’s largest charities, the pattern became depressingly familiar. Material would come flooding out on the phone or in a meeting, but then days later an email would arrive to say that they would not be able to take part. Either after consultation with colleagues or consideration of the potential consequences, people pulled out…

The power of the lobby has even extended to MPs who felt threatened to voice any doubts on Israel’s OPT policies:

… It was only senior MPs whose careers are winding down that felt able to voice what many MPs told us in private. One of them, Michael Mates, a member of the Intelligence and Security Committee and former Northern Ireland minister, told us on the record that “the pro-Israel lobby in our body politic is the most powerful political lobby. There’s nothing to touch them.” Mates added: “I think their lobbying is done very discreetly, in very high places, which may be why it is so effective.”..

Read the pamphlet html text from Open Democracy on the makings of this film.