February 8, 2015 International Relations (LPOL 3071) Professor Rafi Youatt The Rise of a Green State Economic Multilateralism as a prerequisite yea y14 pips o 4 4,:• 'r-ii- The't ci- ydrirtreack A/0 In the chapter "The State and Global Anarchy " of "The Green State", Robyn Eckersley analyzes different theoretical models for international relations and how they may relate to environmental issues. Eckersley's primary thesis is that developing a green state with environmental multilateralism in its core is unlikely to be feasible until all states modernize their multilateral economic agreements to include and address environmental issues. In the chapter, Robyn Eckersley does not immediately and directly state her argument but rather starts from discussing three theories of international relations: realism theory and two alternatives: neoliberal institutionalism and criticaSructivism. Realism is based on the view that the physical and economic survival reign supreme in international relations and in fact are so all encompassing that they do so to the exclusion of all other concerns. The author describes realist theory as states "staying afloat in a hostile world", for whom "security imperatives" are fundamental and overriding2. Thus. their sovereignty is maintained through military and ' Robyn Eckersley. Green state: Rethinking Democracy and Sovereignty. The MIT Press. London, England 2004. Ch. 2, p.52 2 Robyn Eckersley. Green state: Rethinking Democracy and Sovereignty. The MIT Press. London, England 2004. Ch. 2, p.19 EFTA01172877