Global Environmental Governance

by Speth, James Gustave; Haas, Peter M.

• ISBN13: 9781597260800
• ISBN10: 1597260800
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-04-30
• Publisher: Island Pr

Summary

Today's most pressing environmental problems are planetary in scope, confounding the political will of any one nation. How can we solve them? Global Environmental Governanceoffers the essential information, theory, and practical insight needed to tackle this critical challenge. It examines ten major environmental threats-climate disruption, biodiversity loss, acid rain, ozone depletion, deforestation, desertification, freshwater degradation and shortages, marine fisheries decline, toxic pollutants, and excess nitrogen-and explores how they can be addressed through treaties, governance regimes, and new forms of international cooperation. Written by Gus Speth, one of the architects of the international environmental movement, and accomplished political scientist Peter M. Haas,Global Environmental Governancetells the story of how the community of nations, nongovernmental organizations, scientists, and multinational corporations have in recent decades created an unprecedented set of laws and institutions intended to help solve large-scale environmental problems. The book critically examines the serious shortcomings of current efforts and the underlying reasons why disturbing trends persist. It presents key concepts in international law and regime formation in simple, accessible language, and describes the current institutional landscape as well as lessons learned and new directions needed in international governance.Global Environmental Governanceis a concise guide, with lists of key terms, study questions, and other features designed to help readers think about and understand the concepts discussed.

Author Biography

James Gustave Speth is dean of the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies Peter M. Haas is professor at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Chapter I Introduction: Toward Planetary Stewardship	1	(11)
Stewardship Assignments: A Thought Experiment	3	(6)
The Real World: Only One Earth	9	(3)
Chapter II Global-Scale Environmental Challenges	12	(40)
The Globalization of Environmental Threats	13	(3)
Ten Major Global Environmental Challenges	16	(27)
Acid Rain and Regional Air Pollution	19	(2)
Ozone Depletion	21	(1)
Climate Disruption	22	(7)
Deforestation	29	(2)
Land Degradation and Desertification	31	(1)
Freshwater Degradation and Shortages	32	(3)
Marine Fisheries Decline	35	(1)
Toxic Pollutants	36	(3)
Loss of Biological Diversity	39	(2)
Excess Nitrogen	41	(2)
Some Connections among the Issues	43	(1)
Underlying Drivers of Deterioration	44	(8)
Chapter III From Stockholm to Johannesburg: First Attempt at Global Environmental Governance	52	(30)
The Stockholm Conference: Setting Out	56	(5)
Stockholm to Rio: Across New Frontiers	61	(8)
The Earth Summit: A Peak on the Journey	69	(5)
Rio to Johannesburg: A Zigzag Trail	74	(2)
The Johannesburg Summit: Too Steep an Incline	76	(2)
Concluding Observations	78	(4)
Chapter IV Environmental Accord: Treaties and International Environmental Law	82	(25)
International Law and Collective Action: The Basics	82	(5)
The Ozone Layer Protection Regime: The Little Engine That Could	87	(9)
Problem Identification, Fact Finding, and Agenda Setting	88	(4)
Negotiation, Bargaining, and Agreement on Actions to Be Taken	92	(3)
Formal Adoption	95	(1)
Implementation, Monitoring, Assessment, and Strengthening	96	(1)
Treaty Regimes and the Other Major Global Environmental Threats	96	(7)
Will Climate Protection Be the Next Success?	103	(4)
Chapter V Key Actors, Expanding Roles: The United Nations, International Organizations, and Civil Society	107	(18)
The United Nations System	107	(7)
Development Assistance and the Environment	114	(5)
The World Trade Organization, Environment, Trade, and Globalization	119	(2)
Civil Society and Governance without Governments	121	(4)
Chapter VI Paths to the Future: A Second Attempt at Global Environmental Governance?	125	(26)
Reformist Visions: How to Make the System Work Better	127	(7)
Cooperative Environment	128	(3)
Capacity	131	(1)
Concern	131	(3)
Reformist Visions: Major Innovations	134	(4)
A World Environment Organization	134	(2)
Opening the System to the Public	136	(1)
Global Issue Networks	136	(2)
Alternative Visions: How to Change the System	138	(13)
Addressing the Underlying Drivers: Beyond Dealing with Symptoms	139	(2)
Natural Capitalism: Beyond Blinkered Capitalism	141	(2)
Ecological Economics: Beyond Neoclassical Economics	143	(1)
Local Control: Beyond Corporate Globalization	144	(3)
Bottom-up Change: Beyond Global Governance	147	(4)
Questions for Discussion	151	(4)
References	155	(4)
Further Reading	159	(8)
Index	167