Global Environmental Governance

Course Organization

Professor:

 

Assistant:

 

Course Description

Global environmental problems do not respect borders. Yet, the international system is organised around states as the main units of political authority and regulation. What governance institutions have been established to address this dilemma ? This course is an advanced seminar on topics surrounding environmental cooperation and governance, including the negotiation of, compliance with, and effectiveness of international environmental regimes ; the emergence of private and hybrid systems of global environmental governance ; and the interplay between international financial, trade and environmental institutions. Theories of international cooperation provide the basis for analysing a range of environmental regimes including issues of global biodiversity, regional air pollution, ozone depletion, the management of chemical substances, deforestation, climate change, and environmental management certification.

 

 Syllabus

 

Readings:

All of the required readings are included in a packet available for purchase from L’Imprimerie Minute. Additional reading material may be posted on the website of the course (the instructor will notify the class in this case). In order to prepare assignments and to participate in class discussions, students must read the required readings prior to class.

 

Evaluation:

• Class attendance and participation: 15%
• One response paper and leading of class discussion: 20%
• Final project presentation: 15%
• Final paper: 50%

Response paper (4-5 pages, double-spaced) and the leading of class discussion:

Each student will submit one short response paper on one or several readings for a particular week (a sign-up sheet will be distributed on the first day of class). The paper should not simply summarize the author(s)’ arguments. I can identify an important question that the readings raise in advance and the discussion can focus on how effectively the question is addressed. Is (are) the author’s arguments well supported logically and by the evidence? What are the implications of the arguments for the study of global environmental governance or for policy? What are the main analytical contributions or shortcomings of the readings discussed? How do they contribute to understanding a particular environmental governance issue? Students will advance their critique and questions in class as a mechanism to initiate additional class discussion on the topic. The short papers should be sent by email or in hard copy to the professor and the TA on the day before the relevant class session (e.g. Tuesdays by 12:00).

 

Research paper (20-25 pages, double-spaced):

The paper can be on any topic related to international environmental cooperation. It should be organized around a clear causal question, should draw on concepts and debates covered in the class, and should use empirical evidence to advance our understanding of these concepts and issues. You may choose, for example, to examine the role of a particular actor (states, NGOs, business organizations), the effectiveness of a particular regime, or broader debates related to environmental governance. It is often helpful to identify a puzzle or variation in policy outcomes, which you would wish to address. Note that the quality of the written assignments leading to the final paper (e.g. the submission of a research question and research design) would also affect the final paper grade. Evaluations of the final papers will be based on several criteria:

i)      Clarity or research question and argument;

ii)    Quality and depth or research;

iii)   Ability to use evidence, counter-arguments, counterfactuals, etc. to support the main thesis;

iv)   Quality of writing and organization.  Evidence of plagiarism (including copying and pasting of text from the web) will result in a failing grade for the course.

 

Final project presentations will be made in groups of several students covering related topics (schedule will be assigned by instructor). One project presentation grade (10% of the class grade) will be assigned to the students within each group. This is a course about cooperation, so it is important for students to demonstrate what they have learned about overcoming collective action problems and cooperating to achieve mutually beneficial-results.  The instructor reserves the right to assign a lower grade to students who fail to contribute or obstruct the group effort.

 

 Class Schedule

 

February 18: Introduction

 

February 25:  Global Environmental Politics and Governance

• Keohane, R. and Nye, J.S. 2000 “Introduction” in Nye, J.S. Jr. and J. Donahue (eds.) Governance in a Globalizing World. Ch. 1, p. 1-43
  
• Conca, Ken. 2006 “Managing the Global Environment or Protecting the Planet’s Places”, in Ken Conca (ed.) Governing Water: Contentious Transnational Politics and Global Institution Building, p. 1-34
  
• Young, Oran R. 1997. “Global Governance. Drawing Insights from the Environmental Experience” in Oran Young (ed.) Global Governance: Toward a Theory of Decentralized World Order, p. 273-300

 

Part I. How do new environmental issues make it on the global policy agenda?

 

March 4: Norm Creation and Diffusion

• Mendes, Chico. 2004. “Fight for the Forest” in Ken Conca and Geoffrey Dabelko (eds.) Green Planet Blues: Environmental Politics from Stockholm to Johannesburg, p. 94-98; COICA. “Two Agendas on Amazon Development”, p. 339-345; Peluso, Nancy. “Coercing Conservation”, p. 346-357.
  
• Keck, Margaret and Sikkink, Kathryn 1998.   Activists Beyond Borders. Advocacy Networks in International Politics.  Chapters 1 and 4, p.121-163.
  
• Hochstetler, Kathryn. 2002. “After the Boomerang: Environmental Movements and Politics in the La Plata River Basin” Global Environmental Politics; Vol. 2 Issue 4, p. 35-57

 

March 11: Science and Epistemic Communities

• Haas, Peter M. 1992. “Banning Chlorofluorocarbons: Epistemic Community Efforts to Protect Stratospheric Ozone” International Organization Vol. 46 Issue 1, p. 187-205
  
• Parson, Edward. 2003 “The Theoretical and Practical Significance of the Ozone Regime” in Parson, Edward (ed.)Protecting the ozone layer: science and strategy. Chapter 9, p. 245-280.
  
• Mitchell, R. et al. 2006. “Information and Influence” in Mitchell, R. et al (eds.) Global Environmental Assessments, Ch. 11 p. 307-338

 

Part II. How are rules, norms and standards adopted?

 

March 18:  Negotiations

• James K. Sebenius. 1991. “Designing Negotiations Toward a New Regime: The Case of Global Warming” International Security, Vol. 15, No. 4 p. 110-148
  
• Young, Oran. 1994. “Bargaining Leverage vs. Structural Power” in Oran Young (ed.) International Governance: Protecting the Environment in a Stateless Society, Ch. 5, p. 117-139
  
• Barrett, Scott. 2003. “Global Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.” In Scott Barrett (ed.) Environment and Statecraft: the Strategy of Environmental Treaty, Chapter 15, p. 359-398
  
• Victor, David G. 2006 “Toward Effective International Cooperation on Climate Change: Numbers, Interests and Institutions” Global Environmental Politics, Vol. 6 No 3, p. 90-103
  

Recommended: 

• Lynas, Mark 2004 “Feeling the Heat” in Mark Lynas (ed.) High Tide Ch. 7, p. 253-300
  
• Andonova, Liliana B.and Mendoza-Castro, Renzo. 2008 “The Next Climate Treaty? Pedagogical and Policy Lessons of Classroom Negotiations” International Studies Perspectives, Vol. 9 No. 3, p. 331-347

 

March 25: Standard Setting

• Levy, Marc A. 1994. “European Acid Rain: The Power of Tote-Board Diplomacy” in Haas, Keohane, and Levy, (eds.) Institutions for the Earth, Ch. 3, p. 75-132
  
• Jorgen Wettestad. 2002. “Clearing the Air. Europe Tackles Transboundary Pollution”. Environment, Vol. 44 No. 2, p. 32.
  
• Willemnijn Tuinstra, Leen Hordijk, and Markus Amann. 1999. “Using Computer Models in International Cooperation.” Environment, Vol. 44 No. 9, p. 32.

 

April 1: Compliance and Effectiveness

• Chayes, Abram; Antonia Handler 1993. “On Compliance” International Organization, Vol. 47 No. 2, p. 175-205
  
• George W. Downs, David M. Rocke, and Peter N. Barsoom (1996), “Is the Good News about Compliance Good News about Cooperation?” International Organization, Vol. 50, No. 3, p. 379-406.
  
• Haas, P., Keohane, R. and M. Levy. 1994 “The Effectiveness of International Environmental Institutions” in Institutions for the Earth. Ch. 1, p 3-26
  
• Andersen, Steiner. 1998. “The Making and Implementation of Whaling Policies: Does Participation Make a Difference.” In Victor, David G., Kal Raustiala, and Eugene B. Skolnikoff, (eds.) Implementation and Effectiveness of International Environmental Commitments: Theory and Practice. Cambridge: MIT Press, p. 431-474.
  
• Andonova, Liliana. 2008. “The climate regime and domestic politics: the case of Russia” Cambridge Review of International Affairs, Vol. 21 No. 4, p. 483 -504

 

 

Part III. New Governance Modalities

 

April 8: The European Union: Multi-level Environmental Governance

• Alberta M. Sbragia. 2000. “Environmental Policy” in Wallace, Helen and William Wallace, (eds.) Policy Making in the European Union, p. 293-343
  
• Jonas Tallberg. “Paths to Compliance: Enforcement, Management, and the European Union” International Organization, Vol. 56 No. 3, p. 609-643
  
• Schreurs, Miranda A., Tiberghien, Yves. 2007. “Multi-Level Reinforcement: Explaining European Union Leadership in Climate Change“ Global Environmental Politics, Vol. 7 No. 4, p. 19-46
  
• Selin, Henrik. 2007. “Coalition Politics and Chemicals Management in a Regulatory Ambitious Europe.”  Global Environmental Politics, Vol. 7 Issue 3, p. 63-93

 

April 15: No class

 

April 22: Guest Lecture

Readings TBA.

 

April 29: Private Authority

• Cashore et al. 2004. Governing through Markets (Yale University Press). Chapter 1, p. 3-30
  
• Levy, David L. and Peter J. Newell. 2005. The Business of Global Environmental Governance (MIT Press). Ch. 2 (by Newell) and Ch. 9 (by Clapp), p. 21-45 and p. 223-248
  
• Espach, Ralph. 2006. “When is Sustainable Forestry Sustainable? The Forest Stewardship Council in Argentina and Brazil”. Global Environmental Politics, Vol. 6 No. 2, p. 55-84
  

Check and come prepared to comment on the website of one private environmental governance system: what rules or norms does it establish, how are these rules or norms implemented, what are their distributional, justice and environmental effects?

May 6: Networks and Public-Private Partnerships

• Liliana B. Andonova and Marc A. Levy (2003), ‘Franchising Global Governance: Making Sense of the Johannesburg Type II Partnerships’, Yearbook of International Co-operation on Environment and Development 2003/2004 (London: Earthscan Publications), p.19–31.
  
• Betsill, Michelle M. and Bulkeley, Harriet. 2004. Transnational Networks and Global Environmental Governance: The Cities for Climate Protection Program. International Studies Quarterly, Vol. 48, p.471–493.
  
• Andonova, Betsill and Bulkeley. 2009 forthcoming. Transnational Climate Governance. Global Environmental Politics.
  

Check and come prepared to comment on the website of one transnational partnership or certification institution.

 

May 13: Final presentations

 

May 20: Final presentations

 

May 27: Final presentations.  Final papers due.