POLA01 – Fall 2014

Midterm Examination Study Guide

Exam Format:
20-25 multiple choice questions
2 Essays (You will choose two essays from a list of possible questions).
Closed book and note

Topics Covered
Climate Science (basics) Characteristics of Climate Change Uncertainty
International Politics Treaty-Making (Over Time) Regimes
Sovereignty Why International Response has been difficult
Varied Domestic Responses to Climate Change

Terms you should be familiar with (this is not an exhaustive list—some of these terms won’t
show up on the exam and others not on this list might)

Greenhouse effect Global Warming Greenhouse Gas

Climate Change Uncertainty Scope
Emissions (Absolute, Per Capita, Historical, Current, Production, Consumption)
IPCC UNFCCC Kyoto Protocol
Universal Participation CBDR Precautionary Principle
Collective Action Freeriding Public Good
Sovereignty Agenda Setting Bargaining
Implementation Monitoring Revision
Regimes Democracy Authoritarian
Electoral System Presidential System Parliamentary System
Corporatist Pluralist Unitary System
Federal System National Interest National Discourse
Domestic Institutions

Examples of Multiple Choice Questions

While the global South considers __________ emissions to be the most important, the global
North tends to focus on _________ emissions in the climate negotiations.

a. absolute || consumption
b. per capita || absolute
c. production || historical
d. consumption || per capita

Which of the following are reasons why the international climate negotiations have been so
difficult?

a. The problem of climate change is very complex.

b. States in the global South have been unwilling to follow US leadership.
c. States have conflicting interests in addressing climate change.
d. both a and c
e. all of the above
Examples of essay questions

Depledge argues that the UN process has had problems and that is why we haven’t seen
progress on climate change. Prins and Rayner say instead that we haven’t seen progress on
climate change because the UN negotiations is simply the wrong process. Which do you find
more compelling and why? In developing your argument be sure to specifically reference
Depledge and Prins and Rayner’s arguments.

Why are some states leaders and others laggards in responding to climate change?