Oceans Rise Empires Fall: Why Geopolitics Hastens Climate Catastrophe

In the last few years, it has become abundantly clear that the effects of accelerating climate change will be catastrophic, from rising seas to more violent storms to desertification. Yet why do nation-states find it so difficult to implement transnational policies that can reduce carbon output and slow global warming? In Oceans Rise, Empires Fall, Gerard Toal explains why geopolitical competition is the primary obstacle. In a world of interstate rivalry, nations tend to always prioritize acquiring the fossil fuels necessary for growth in the short term over working toward a zero-carbon future.

Gerard Toal is Professor of Geography at Virginia Tech and the author of numerous books, including Near Abroad (Oxford), Bosnia Remade (Oxford, co-authored) and Critical Geopolitics (Minnesota).