International Environmental Governance

The project was initiated in response to increasing calls, from both within the UN and from external sources, for a more detailed analysis of the current weaknesses and gaps within the existing system of international environmental governance (IEG) and a more elaborate examination of the various proposals that have been put forward for reform. In responding to these calls, the project has drawn upon the expertise of several renowned academics and practitioners in the fields of international environmental law, science, economics, political science, the humanities, and environmental politics.

The first section of the project focuses on the identification of weaknesses and gaps within the current system of international environmental governance. The individual research papers commissioned within this section have concentrated on six key aspects of international environmental governance: the inter-linkages within the environmental governance system; the science/politics interface; industry/government partnerships for sustainable development; the participation of NGOs and other civil society representatives; the interaction between national, regional, and international negotiation processes; and the role of international institutions in shaping legal and policy regimes.

The second section of the project elaborates upon specific reform proposals that have been generated throughout recent debates and evaluates the potential of each proposal to strengthen the existing IEG system. The papers commissioned within this section of the study have focused on exploring the potential advantages and disadvantages of specific reform models and explained, in detail, how each model may be structured and how it would function. The models of reform that have been explored include: clustering of MEAs; strengthening UNEP; expanding the role of the Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GMEF); reforming existing UN bodies; strengthening financing sources and mechanisms; building up the environmental competence of the World Trade Organization (WTO); different possible models fro a a World Environment Organization; reforming the UN Trusteeship Council; expanding the mandate of the UN Security Council; and establishing a World Environment Court. The final section of the project combines insights gained through the first two sections in order to provide an in depth evaluation of current reform proposals, elaborate on how they may resolve current gaps and weaknesses, and offers alternative recommendations for reform.

For more information relating to the International Environmental Governance Reform Project and for details of related publications, please visit the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies website at http://www.ias.unu.edu or contact Shona E.H. Dodds dodds@ias.unu.edu or W. Bradnee Chambers chambers@ias.unu.edu or visit The Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership website at http://www.cgp.org/cgplink/ or contact Norichika Kanie kanie@kitakyu-u.ac.jp

List of Papers and Contributors

Laura Campbell
Chad Carpenter
W. Bradnee Chambers
Steve Charnovitz
Lorraine Elliott
Dana Fisher
Harris Gleckman
Peter M. Haas
Toru Iwama
Norichika Kanie
Yasuko Kawashima
Satoko Mori
Sebastian Oberthur
Gary Sampson
Jonathan Strand
Richard Tarasofsky
Mikoto Usui
Jacob Werksman
Yozo Yokota