Science and International Environmental Policy: Regimes and Nonregimes in Global GovernanceRowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2005 M11 9 - 222 pages The proliferation of environmental agreements is a defining feature of modern international relations that has attracted considerable academic attention. The cooperation literature focuses on stories of policy creation, and ignores issue areas where policy agreements are absent. Science and International Environmental Policy introduces nonregimes into the study of global governance, and compares successes with failures in the formation of environmental treaties. By exploring collective decisions not to cooperate, it explains why international institutions form but also why, when, and how they do not emerge. The book is a structured comparison of global policy responses to four ecological problems: deforestation, coral reefs degradation, ozone depletion, and acid rain. It explores the connection between knowledge and action in world politics by investigating the role of scientific information in environmental management. The study shows that different types of expert information play uneven roles in policymaking. Extensive analysis of multilateral scientific assessments, participatory observation of negotiations, and interviews with policymakers and scientists reveal that some kinds of information are critical requirements for policy creation while other types are less influential. Moreover, the state of knowledge on ecological problems is not a function of sociopolitical power. By disaggregating the concept of 'knowledge,' the book solves contradictions in previous theoretical work and offers a compelling account of the interplay between knowledge, interests, and power in global environmental politics. |
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acid rain acidification actors air pollution Andresen areas biodiversity causes CFCs climate change collective action consensus consequences cooperation coral reef degradation coral reefs cross-border damage decision decision-making deforestation ecological problems economic ecosystems effects emissions Environment environmental politics epistemic communities existing expert extent forest convention forest policy Forestry Forum on Forests GCRMN global forest governments human ICRI impact important institutions interests international environmental international policy issue levels Levy LRTAP ments monitoring Montreal Protocol multilateral negotiations NGOs nitrous oxides nonregimes ODSS Organization outcomes ozone depletion percent policy action policy agreements policy makers policy regime policymaking precautionary principle production reduce reef decline regime formation regulations role science and politics scientific assessments scientific information scientific knowledge scientific research scientific uncertainty scientists social species Stratospheric sustainable sustainable forest management ternational tion tional transboundary Tropical types of information UNFF United Kingdom Wettestäd 1999 World World Bank