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Preserving and Enhancing the Global Commons


This chapter deals with ecological concerns and cooperation, but it is in many ways an extension of the human rights issues in chapter 15. One connection between the two chapters is the normative question, Should we care? Clearly, the view in this text is that we all should care. Self-interest compels us to attend to issues of the world’s expanding population, the depletion of natural resources, the increase of chemical discharges into the environment, and the impact of these trends on the global biosphere. You will see that new approaches are needed because solutions attempted by single countries will be insufficient to solve the problems we humans face collectively. The issues discussed in this chapter are transnational problems. Therefore, their solution requires transnational programs achieved through international cooperation (Zurn, 1998; Bellany, 1997).


  • Identify the most significant development agencies involved in granting loans and aid to less developed countries by placing the correct term in the appropriate space in a paragraph.


  • Decide how far you think the idea of Western hemispheric free trade should go as embodied in an organization such as Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).


  • Analyze the cooperative economic efforts from the point of view of the various political parties within the United States. Provide your opinion.


  • Examine the geographic scope of international trade organizations such as the European Union, European Free Trade Association, North American Free Trade Association, etc. on the map provided.


  • Study some other alternative methods of accomplishing economic cooperation by visiting the Web sites selected for this topic.






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