The International politics of the environment

The most pressing environmental issues, such as global warming, ozone depletion, water and air pollution, deforestation, and the loss of biodiversity generate enormous tasks for science, technology, and economic and social organization. But the seriousness and global scale of these problems also pose new challenges for international relations and demand new forms of co-operation between states. Is such co-operation possible? How can states negotiate workable international environmental agreements and implement them effectively? This book brings together leading specialists to assess the strengths, limitations, and potential of the international political system for global environmental management. Overview chapters examine the processes of international environmental negotiation, law-making, and regime formation, and explore the difficulties of implementation and enforcement. Experts close to particular institutions consider the environmental and developmental roles of the United Nations, the World Bank, and the European Community. Other chapters explore the conflicts of interest between states, especially between North and South, the increasingly central role of NGOs, and the problems of economic analysis and decision-making in the face of uncertainty, with particular reference to global climate change. Case studies of Brazil, Japan, and the United States explore critical factors influencing international environmental policy. This collection provides an authoritative and timely analysis of the political, economic, and moral issues at stake in international environmental co-operation.