“Where is the natural world in our understanding of citizenship?”

Andrea LenschowProfessor of European Integration

atUniversity of Osnabrück

(Institute of Social Sciences)

Q1: What are the tensions between the ‚natural commons‘ and state boundaries?

Q2: What citizenship responsibilities follow from the necessity to protect the environment in ways that transboundary effects are respected?

Q3: What follows for individual behavior and what for politics?

‘California is in the middle of its worst draught since 1200 years’. Officials have implored Californians to cut down on water usage, but recent data show residents saved less water in February 2015 than in any other month since the state started tracking water conservation.

Over 1 trillion plastic bags are used every year worldwide.The extremely slow decomposition rate of plastic bags leaves them to drift on the ocean for untold years. According to the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, these plastic bags cause the death of many marine animals. Only .5% to 3% of all bags gets recycled.

Emissions from transport continue to rise!The International Energy Agency 2014 World Energy Report states that while CO2 emissions from the energy sector are declining (especially in China!), global emissions from transport (road transport and international marine and aviation) continue to rise, despite regulatory efforts to improve technology.

What are the tensions between the 'natural commons' and state

boundaries?

What citizenship responsibilities follow from the necessity to protect

the environment in ways that transboundary effects are respected?

Liberal vs. Post-cosmopolitan understanding of citizenshipLiberal institution-oriented view (Rawls/Dworkin):

citizenship duties consist in obedience with and promotion of (just) institutions capable to resolve collective action problems

Post-cosmopolitan, lifestyle-oriented view (Dobson): given the territorially unbound nature of environmental protection and an obsolete distinction of public and private, the emphasis shifts from institutions to peoples’ lifestyle and virtuous behavior.

What follows for individual behavior and what for politics?

What follows for individual behavior?Dobson: individual behavior is only half of the

story; as the stabilization of environmental citizenship relies on deep commitment and attitude change.

“Liberals”: self-interested (rather than virtuously green) individuals will push institutions towards collectively binding rules; institutions produce stable solutions and secure environmental protection by targeting peoples’ behavior

Effects of public policiesDobson: limited utility of laws and incentives;

emphasis on persuasion and educationLiberal: especially incentive tools

(environmental taxes, fees, bonuses) promising as they combine individual freedom with a steering towards environmental solutions

ReferencesDobson, Andrew (2003). Citizenship and the Environment. OUP.Dobson, Andrew (2007). Environmental Citizenship: Towards

Sustainable Development. Sustainable Development. 15, 276-285Dworkin, Ronald (1985). A Matter of Principle. Cambridge, MA.International Energy Agency. World Energy Outlook 2014,

IEA/OECD.Neuteleers, Stijn (2010). Institutions vs. lifestyle: do citizens

have environmental duties in their private sphere? Environmental Politics. 19(4), 501-517

Rawls, John (1999). A theory of justice. (rev. ed.). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press

United Nations Development Programme. (2012) The critical role of global food consumption patterns in achieving sustainable food systems and food for all. UNEP Discussion Paper.