The entry into force of the Paris Agreement on climate change brings expectations that states will be held to account for their commitments. The article elaborates on why this is not a realistic assumption unless a broader multilevel... more
The entry into force of the Paris Agreement on climate change brings expectations that states will be held to account for their commitments. The article elaborates on why this is not a realistic assumption unless a broader multilevel perspective is taken on the nature of accountability regimes for international (legal) agreements. The formal accountability mechanisms of such agreements tend to be weak, and there are no indications that they will be stronger for the recent global goals adopted in the Paris Agreement. Looking beyond only peer review among states, national institutions, direct civil society engagement and internal government processes – while each coming with their own strengths and weaknesses – provide additional accountability pathways that together may do a better job. Scientific inquiry is, however, required to better understand, support and find improved mixtures of, and perhaps to move beyond, these accountability pathways.
Donald Trump’s presidency has research his first year mark, his new policy portfolio has begun to shape the United States development trajectory into what he promised during his presidential campaign. The controversy and provocativeness... more
Donald Trump’s presidency has research his first year mark, his new policy portfolio has begun to shape the United States development trajectory into what he promised during his presidential campaign. The controversy and provocativeness cast over some key aspects of his domestic and foreign policies during the opening of his presidency have overshadowed his skepticism, or outright denial of climate change, giving rise to concern and significant unrest among many parties of interest. This article aims to understand and analyze what climate policy may look like under the Trump administration, and project what are the possible scenarios for US involvement in any climate change agreement. As China was an important counterpart in making the Paris Agreement a watershed moment for climate change cooperation, this article will also discuss the implications of US policy for China as that country considers its own interests in the pursuit of climate policy.
Climate-related security challenges are transnational in character, leading states to increasingly rely on intergovernmental organizations (IGOs)—such as the European Union and the North-Atlantic Treaty Organization—for policy solutions.... more
Climate-related security challenges are transnational in character, leading states to increasingly rely on intergovernmental organizations (IGOs)—such as the European Union and the North-Atlantic Treaty Organization—for policy solutions. While climate security issues do not typically fit comfortably within the mandates of existing IGOs, recent decades have seen increasing efforts by IGOs to link climate change and security. This article reviews existing studies on IGOs' responses to climate security challenges. It draws together research from several bodies of literature spanning political science, international relations, and environmental social science, identifying an emerging field of research revolving around IGOs and climate security. We observe significant advancement in this young field, with scholars extending and enriching our understanding of how and why IGOs address climate security challenges. Yet we still know little about the conditions under which IGOs respond to climate security challenges and when they do so effectively. This article discusses the main gaps in current work and makes some suggestions about how these gaps may be usefully addressed in future research. A better understanding of the conditions under which IGOs respond (effectively) to climate security challenges would contribute to broader debates on climate security, institutional change, and effectiveness in international relations and environmental social science, and may facilitate crafting effective global solutions to society's most intractable climate security challenges.
The Paris Agreement of 2015 is a political success in UN climate negotiations. The article tells the story of the negotiations from an insider perspective of a participant. It describes battles on key contentious issues, identifies... more
The Paris Agreement of 2015 is a political success in UN climate negotiations. The article tells the story of the negotiations from an insider perspective of a participant. It describes battles on key contentious issues, identifies winners and losers, and highlights features of the process that help us understand the outcome. The analysis highlights two process variables: persuasion and organizational tactics. Research is based on direct participatory observation of negotiating sessions, closed Ministerial-level meetings and secret bilateral consultations during the conference.
