4 ms·

Western governments absolutely can and do apply geopolitical pressure via measures like sanctions, tariffs and trade agreements. Now whether they have the will

Western governments absolutely can and do apply geopolitical pressure via measures like sanctions, tariffs and trade agreements. Now whether they have the will to do it over plastic waste (or carbon emissions or democratic governance or human rights) is another matter, because they have only a few tools and there are thousands of priorities competing for those tools. It also doesn't help with leverage when there is a powerful economic actor which doesn't require any of these terms as conditions of doing business: China.

stevenjohns 7y ago
Alternatively, instead of starving countries to death[0], maybe Western countries should stop sending their trash to third world countries[1][2]. Perhaps it's not the fault of those poorer countries, but instead the fault of the Enlightened West (those that care about carbon emissions, democratic governance and human rights) illegally dumping their garbage onto other countries[3]? There's something funny about Western governments illegally dumping thousands of tonnes of trash on the shores of poor countries[4] and then people having the audacity to support sanctions - literally punishing the civilians there by starving them through siege - for not having the ability to properly manage the waste. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctions_against_Iraq#Effects_on_the_Iraqi_people_during_sanctions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctions_against_Iraq#Effects... [1] https://www.dw.com/en/tired-of-being-trashed-philippines-ready-to-dump-garbage-in-canada/a-48829282 https://www.dw.com/en/tired-of-being-trashed-philippines-rea... [2] http://www.atchuup.com/countries-used-as-dumping-grounds-of-worlds-trash/ http://www.atchuup.com/countries-used-as-dumping-grounds-of-... [3] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-29/malaysia-to-send-tonnes-of-plastic-waste-back-to-foreign-nations/11159208 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-29/malaysia-to-send-tonn... [4] http://collections.unu.edu/eserv/UNU:6349/PiP_Report.pdf http://collections.unu.edu/eserv/UNU:6349/PiP_Report.pdf
- apatters 7y ago
  You're aware that Iraq and the Malaysia are different countries, right? Just checking.
  - stevenjohns 7y ago
    I didn’t realise sieges have different effects depending on which third world country they’re applied to.

stevenjohns 7y ago

Alternatively, instead of starving countries to death[0], maybe Western countries should stop sending their trash to third world countries[1][2]. Perhaps it's not the fault of those poorer countries, but instead the fault of the Enlightened West (those that care about carbon emissions, democratic governance and human rights) illegally dumping their garbage onto other countries[3]? There's something funny about Western governments illegally dumping thousands of tonnes of trash on the shores of poor countries[4] and then people having the audacity to support sanctions - literally punishing the civilians there by starving them through siege - for not having the ability to properly manage the waste. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctions_against_Iraq#Effects_on_the_Iraqi_people_during_sanctions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctions_against_Iraq#Effects... [1] https://www.dw.com/en/tired-of-being-trashed-philippines-ready-to-dump-garbage-in-canada/a-48829282 https://www.dw.com/en/tired-of-being-trashed-philippines-rea... [2] http://www.atchuup.com/countries-used-as-dumping-grounds-of-worlds-trash/ http://www.atchuup.com/countries-used-as-dumping-grounds-of-... [3] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-29/malaysia-to-send-tonnes-of-plastic-waste-back-to-foreign-nations/11159208 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-29/malaysia-to-send-tonn... [4] http://collections.unu.edu/eserv/UNU:6349/PiP_Report.pdf http://collections.unu.edu/eserv/UNU:6349/PiP_Report.pdf

apatters 7y ago
You're aware that Iraq and the Malaysia are different countries, right? Just checking.
- stevenjohns 7y ago
  I didn’t realise sieges have different effects depending on which third world country they’re applied to.