The Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Governance and Politics surveys the broad range of environmental and sustainability challenges in the emerging Anthropocene and scrutinizes available concepts, methodological tools, theories and approaches, as well as overlaps with adjunct fields of study. This comprehensive reference work, written by some of the most eminent academics in the field, contains 68 entries on numerous aspects across 7 thematic areas, including concepts and definitions; theories and methods; actors; institutions; issue-areas; cross-cutting questions; and overlaps with non-environmental fields. With this broad approach, the volume seeks to provide a pluralistic knowledge base of the research and practice of global environmental governance and politics in times of increased complexity and contestation. Providing its readers with a unique point of reference, as well as stimulus for further research, this Encyclopedia is an indispensable tool for anyone interested in the politics of the environment, particularly students, teachers and researchers. Contributors: K.W. Abbott, C. Adelle, L. Andonova, S. Andresen, W.F. Baber, K. Backstrand, R.V. Bartlett, I. Baud, S. Bauer, S. Beck, M. Beisheim, D. Benson, S. Bernstein, K. Biedenkopf, F. Biermann, K. Booth, U. Brand, P.-O. Busch, S. Chan, K. Chelminski, J. Clapp, D. Compagnon, D. Cordell, V. Cornelissen, E. Dellas, S. Dietz, R. Eckersley, R. Floyd, D.J. Frank, V. Galaz, K. Genskow, S. Godin-Beekman, A. Gupta, J. Gupta, R. Haluza-DeLay, A. Hironaka, M. Isailovic, M. Ivanova, A. Jerneck, K. Joensson, A. Jordan, S. Karlsson-Vinkhuyzen, M. Kok, A. Kronsell, M. Lang, S. Lim, J. Lister, K. Magyera, A. Mert, D. Moran, G. Nagtzaam, T. Nielsen, M. Nilsson, C. Okereke, T. Oliver, L. Olsson, P.H. Pattberg, J. Pinkse, A. Prakash, O. Renn, K. Rosendal, M.A.F. Ros-Tonen, D. Rothe, E. Schofer, B. Siebenhuner, N. Simon, J. Stel, H. Stevenson, O.S. Stokke, K. Szulecki, M.W.Tvedt, A. Underdal, T. Van de Graaf, D. Van Vuuren, P. Vellinga, P. Wapner, E. Weinthal, J. Wettestad, S. White, O. Widerberg, F. Zelli

The term Anthropocene denotes a new geological epoch characterized by the unprecedented impact of human activities on the Earth's ecosystems. While the natural sciences have advanced their understanding of the drivers and processes of global change considerably over the last two decades, the social sciences lag behind in addressing the fundamental challenge of governance and politics in the Anthropocene. This book attempts to close this crucial research gap, in particular with regards to the following three overarching research themes: (i) the meaning, sense-making and contestations emerging around the concept of the Anthropocene related to the social sciences; (ii) the role and relevance of institutions, both formal and informal as well as international and transnational, for governing in the Anthropocene; and (iii) the role and relevance of accountability and other democratic principles for governing in the Anthropocene. Drawing together a range of key thinkers in the field, this volume provides one of the first authoritative assessments of global environmental politics and governance in the Anthropocene, reflecting on how the planetary scale crisis changes the ways in which humans respond to the challenge. This volume will be of great interest to students and scholars of global environmental politics and governance, and sustainable development.

Combating climate change and transitioning to fossil-free energy are two central and interdependent challenges facing humanity today. Governing the nexus of these challenges is complex, and includes multiple intergovernmental and transnational institutions. This book analyses the governance interactions between such institutions, and explores their consequences for legitimacy and effectiveness. Using a novel analytical framework, the contributors examine three policy fields: renewable energy, fossil fuel subsidy reform, and carbon pricing. These fields are compared in terms of their institutional memberships, governance functions and overarching norms. Bringing together prominent researchers from political science and international relations, the book offers an essential resource for future research and provides policy recommendations for effective and legitimate governance of the climate-energy nexus. Rooted in the most recent research, it is an invaluable reference for researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders in climate change and energy politics. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

The Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Governance and Politics surveys the broad range of environmental and sustainability challenges in the emerging Anthropocene and scrutinizes available concepts, methodological tools, theories and approaches, as well as overlaps with adjunct fields of study. This comprehensive reference work, written by some of the most eminent academics in the field, contains 68 entries on numerous aspects across 7 thematic areas, including concepts and definitions; theories and methods; actors; institutions; issue-areas; cross-cutting questions; and overlaps with non-environmental fields. With this broad approach, the volume seeks to provide a pluralistic knowledge base of the research and practice of global environmental governance and politics in times of increased complexity and contestation. Providing its readers with a unique point of reference, as well as stimulus for further research, this Encyclopedia is an indispensable tool for anyone interested in the politics of the environment, particularly students, teachers and researchers. Contributors: K.W. Abbott, C. Adelle, L. Andonova, S. Andresen, W.F. Baber, K. Backstrand, R.V. Bartlett, I. Baud, S. Bauer, S. Beck, M. Beisheim, D. Benson, S. Bernstein, K. Biedenkopf, F. Biermann, K. Booth, U. Brand, P.-O. Busch, S. Chan, K. Chelminski, J. Clapp, D. Compagnon, D. Cordell, V. Cornelissen, E. Dellas, S. Dietz, R. Eckersley, R. Floyd, D.J. Frank, V. Galaz, K. Genskow, S. Godin-Beekman, A. Gupta, J. Gupta, R. Haluza-DeLay, A. Hironaka, M. Isailovic, M. Ivanova, A. Jerneck, K. Joensson, A. Jordan, S. Karlsson-Vinkhuyzen, M. Kok, A. Kronsell, M. Lang, S. Lim, J. Lister, K. Magyera, A. Mert, D. Moran, G. Nagtzaam, T. Nielsen, M. Nilsson, C. Okereke, T. Oliver, L. Olsson, P.H. Pattberg, J. Pinkse, A. Prakash, O. Renn, K. Rosendal, M.A.F. Ros-Tonen, D. Rothe, E. Schofer, B. Siebenhuner, N. Simon, J. Stel, H. Stevenson, O.S. Stokke, K. Szulecki, M.W.Tvedt, A. Underdal, T. Van de Graaf, D. Van Vuuren, P. Vellinga, P. Wapner, E. Weinthal, J. Wettestad, S. White, O. Widerberg, F. Zelli

An assessment of policy options for future global climate governance, written by a team of leading experts from the European Union and developing countries. Global climate governance is at a crossroads. The 1997 Kyoto Protocol was merely a first step, and its core commitments expire in 2012. This book addresses three questions which will be central to any new climate agreement. What is the most effective overall legal and institutional architecture for successful and equitable climate politics? What role should non-state actors play, including multinational corporations, non-governmental organizations, public private partnerships and market mechanisms in general? How can we deal with the growing challenge of adapting our existing institutions to a substantially warmer world? This important resource offers policy practitioners in-depth qualitative and quantitative assessments of the costs and benefits of various policy options, and also offers academics from wide-ranging disciplines insight into innovative interdisciplinary approaches towards international climate negotiations.

The term Anthropocene denotes a new geological epoch characterized by the unprecedented impact of human activities on the Earth's ecosystems. While the natural sciences have advanced their understanding of the drivers and processes of global change considerably over the last two decades, the social sciences lag behind in addressing the fundamental challenge of governance and politics in the Anthropocene. This book attempts to close this crucial research gap, in particular with regards to the following three overarching research themes: (i) the meaning, sense-making and contestations emerging around the concept of the Anthropocene related to the social sciences; (ii) the role and relevance of institutions, both formal and informal as well as international and transnational, for governing in the Anthropocene; and (iii) the role and relevance of accountability and other democratic principles for governing in the Anthropocene. Drawing together a range of key thinkers in the field, this volume provides one of the first authoritative assessments of global environmental politics and governance in the Anthropocene, reflecting on how the planetary scale crisis changes the ways in which humans respond to the challenge. This volume will be of great interest to students and scholars of global environmental politics and governance, and sustainable development.

This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International licence. It is free to read at Oxford Scholarship Online and offered as a free PDF download from OUP and selected open access locations. Global Legitimacy Crises addresses the consequences of legitimacy in global governance, in particular asking: when and how do legitimacy crises affect international organizations and their capacity to rule. The book starts with a new conceptualization of legitimacy crisis that looks at public challenges from a variety of actors. Based on this conceptualization, it applies a mixed-methods approach to identify and examine legitimacy crises, starting with a quantitative analysis of mass media data on challenges of a sample of 32 IOs. It shows that some, but not all organizations have experienced legitimacy crises, spread over several decades from 1985 to 2020. Following this, the book presents a qualitative study to further examine legitimacy crises of two selected case studies: the WTO and the UNFCCC. Whereas earlier research assumed that legitimacy crises have negative consequences, the book introduces a theoretical framework that privileges the activation inherent in a legitimacy crisis. It holds that this activation may not only harm an IO, but could also strengthen it, in terms of its material, institutional, and decision-making capacity. The following statistical analysis shows that whether a crisis has predominantly negative or positive effects depends on a variety of factors. These include the specific audience whose challenges define a certain crisis, and several institutional properties of the targeted organization. The ensuing in-depth analysis of the WTO and the UNFCCC further reveals how legitimacy crises and both positive and negative consequences are interlinked, and that effects of crises are sometimes even visible beyond the organizational borders.

An assessment of policy options for future global climate governance, written by a team of leading experts from the European Union and developing countries. Global climate governance is at a crossroads. The 1997 Kyoto Protocol was merely a first step, and its core commitments expire in 2012. This book addresses three questions which will be central to any new climate agreement. What is the most effective overall legal and institutional architecture for successful and equitable climate politics? What role should non-state actors play, including multinational corporations, non-governmental organizations, public private partnerships and market mechanisms in general? How can we deal with the growing challenge of adapting our existing institutions to a substantially warmer world? This important resource offers policy practitioners in-depth qualitative and quantitative assessments of the costs and benefits of various policy options, and also offers academics from wide-ranging disciplines insight into innovative interdisciplinary approaches towards international climate negotiations.