Global challenges & shared problems
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Question
What is a global challenge?
Answer
A problem that crosses borders and cannot be solved by any single state alone — such as climate change, a pandemic or terrorism.
Question
Why do global challenges arise from interdependence?
Answer
Because sharing a planet, economies and networks means we also share problems that no border can keep out.
Question
Give four examples of global challenges.
Answer
Climate change, pandemics, terrorism and crime, and poverty and migration.
Question
What is the collective action problem?
Answer
Everyone is better off if all states act, but each is tempted to free-ride — let others pay the cost — which makes solutions hard.
Question
What does 'free-riding' mean here?
Answer
Benefiting from others' efforts (like emissions cuts) without doing the costly work yourself.
Question
Why is climate change the ultimate shared problem?
Answer
Greenhouse gases emitted anywhere warm the planet everywhere, so no single country can fix it alone.
Question
Why is the Paris Agreement a good example?
Answer
Nearly every state signed up to limit global warming (proof cooperation is possible), but the targets are largely voluntary and hard to enforce.
Question
What did the Paris Agreement (2015) do?
Answer
Nearly all states promised to cut emissions to limit global warming — a shared goal, but with mostly voluntary targets.
Question
Why is cooperation on global challenges hard?
Answer
There is no world government to enforce promises, and states free-ride and protect their self-interest.
Question
Give an example of successful global cooperation.
Answer
Healing the ozone layer — states agreed to phase out the chemicals damaging it, a shared problem solved together.
Question
How do global challenges link to global governance?
Answer
They are the reason IGOs and treaties are built — to coordinate action on problems too big for any one state.
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Full study notes for Global challenges & shared problems
Topic 1.6 hub
Interdependence
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Global Politics exam skills
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