Similarly to other environmental problems, the planetary scope of climate change has
challenged important aspects of the current dynamics of international relations. The need for concrete
action to address the problem and reduce it (mitigation) or diminish its impacts (adaptation) presupposes
not only the development of science and technology but also, more importantly, a radical change in the
production and consumption patterns now prevalent in countries, and this indirectly brings consequences
for the power relations among these actors. Furthermore, climate change, by ignoring legal borders
between states, demands new forms of governance, and forces a discussion about the concept of
sovereignty, its fundamental elements, and its application. In view of these facts, the aim of this article is
to bring to discussion the (in)ability of the current dynamics of international relations to respond
effectively to global environmental problems, particularly global climate change. This study is structured
as follows: first, a panorama of this environmental problem is given, introducing its main features, causes,
and expected impact. From this overview, some issues are raised which have been demanding an effective
response from international relations. Finally, some considerations are presented.
