Global Governance of Climate Change; The reasons for lack of efficiency in dealing with global warming on international scale

Global Governance of Climate Change; The reasons for lack of efficiency in dealing with global warming on international scaleMaster thesis in International and European relations/Division of political science/Department of Management and Engineering/Linkping UniversityMona Moini Namini Word count (26,770) Supervisor: Dr. Per Jansson

June 2014

Abstract

Many discussions have been shaped which try to estimate whether or not the international community has been successful to address climate related concerns. While some believe that, it has been successful in many aspects, others view it as a total failure. In theory, a considerable institutional frame work has been built through former decades to improve the overall state of Global environmental governance. In practice, the whole system has not been successful to fulfill the expectations it was once built to address, which is to reduce the fatal effects of global warming. Many multilateral environmental agreements have been shaped, a considerable amount of financial and human resource have been dedicated to the system and meetings are held each year to improve the overall implementation status of, what has been agreed on beforehand. Despite all of the mentioned efforts, "Most of the observed increase in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations. This is an advance since the TARs conclusion that most of the observed warming over the last 50 years is likely to have been due to the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations.(IPCC synthesis report, 2007, P.39) So as it is obvious from the mentioned statement, reform has to be applied to the current status of the system in order to make it operate more efficiently. These changes should be in form of short term and long term strategies. Short term plans should be structured in a manner that finally pave the way for long term ones. There is a certain amount of agreement on the fact that, reform is necessary but reaching an agreement on a certain reform plan is highly controversial. Some reform proposals focus on a large scale reform as the final solution like the creation of a World Environment Organization (WEO), others on the other hand, believe in making the existing pieces work more efficiently by enforcing small scale changes. Efficient measures have to be taken place otherwise; current and future generations would build their lives on fear and risk. This situation has been explained by Ray Braudbury as living at risk is jumping off the cliff and building your wings on the way down."(Canfield, 2007, p.12)

Acknowledgements

My gratitude should be expressed to a number of people:

First, I would like to thank my supervisorDr. Per Jansson, who has been extremely patient and kind towards me. His constant advice and guidelines have had significant effects on the formation of this thesis. I have learned considerably each and every time I received feedback from him. I truly cannot find words, capable of expressing my degree of gratitude and respect for him.

Second, I would like to thank Dr. Jan Aart Scholte, who is a guest lecturer at Linkping University. We as students enjoyed his lectures and learned considerably from him. The topic and many issues that are included in this thesis are inspired by his excellent method of teaching and the interesting discussions that often took place during his lectures.

Third, I would like to dedicate this work to these two inspiring human beings; Mr. Alireza Mahernia and Mr. Majeeed Moini that have played major roles in my life. Without them by my side; I would not be the person I am today.

Table of ContentsList of Abbreviations51.1) Climate Change71.1.1) the definition of climate change71.1.2) Climate change scenarios71.1.3) the worst case scenario81.2) Research puzzle91.3) Methodology101.3.1) the philosophical stance111.3.2) Research method131.3.3) the reasons for the selection of the mentioned methods151.4) Methodological analysis191.4.1) Introduction191.4.2) Differentiated philosophical standpoints on evaluation criteria201.4.3) Trustworthiness and Reflexivity21Chapter two: Globalization and environmental degradation232.1) Introduction232.2) The main counter narratives against globalization242.3) The philosophical stand point of this work on globalization:272.4) good Global Governance as the ultimate solution282.5) Final remarks29Chapter three: Theoretical frame work of the study303.1) Introduction303.2) Historical Institutionalism (HI)313.3) Discursive Institutionalism (DI)333.3.1) Interactive processes and their impact on IEG reform343.3.2) considering discourse as different levels of idea353.3.3) Mobilization of bias as the main barrier373.4) Rational Choice Institutionalism (RI)383.5) A brief summary39Chapter four: Climate Change to be studied under different labels414.1) Security studies of Climate Change414.1.1) Introduction414.1.2) Discourse Analysis approach424.1.3) the history of environmental debates454.1.4) possible future storylines474.1.5) Final remarks494.2) Ethical studies of climate change504.2.1) Introduction504.2.2) the core principles included in Ethical Environmental Discourses514.2.3) the main arguments of anti-ethical environmental discourses554.2.4) Final remarks584.3) Global Governance studies of climate change594.3.1) Introduction594.3.2) the main definitions of Global Governance extracted from relative Discourses604.3.3) Final remarks63Chapter five: International Environmental Governance (IEG) and lack of efficiency from the New Institutionalist perspective655.1) A brief history of debates on IEG reform655.2) Historical institutionalism685.2.1) Explaining incremental institutional change by means of Path Dependency:685.2.2) Explaining the persistence of institutional structures by means of Power Inequalities:695.3) Discursive institutionalism705.3.1) Explaining incremental institutional change by means of Socialisation705.3.2) Explaining the persistence of institutional structures by means of Discursive Processes715.4) Rational Choice Institutionalism725.4.1) Explaining incremental institutional change by means of Collective Action Dilemmas725.4.2) Explaining the persistence of institutional structures by means of Calculus Approach:735.5) Concluding remarks:75Chapter six: Good Global Governance or Democratic Global Governance776.1) Introduction776.2) Building the frame work for analysis776.3) Democracy as a challenging issue in Global Governance826.4) Civil Society and Democratic Global Governance846.5) Concluding Remarks86Final Conclusion:88Bibliography89

List of Abbreviations

AIDS Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

BIS the Bank for International Settlements

C&C Contraction and Convergence

CO2Carbon Dioxide

COP Conference Of the Parties

CSD Commission on Sustainable Development DI Discursive Institutionalism

EMG Environment Management Group

EMSEnvironmental Management System

EUEuropean Union

G77Group of 77

GATTGeneral Agreement on Tariffs and Trade

GCIGlobal Common Institute

GEG Global Environmental Governance

GHGGreen House Gas

GMEFGlobal Ministerial Environment Forum

GTCGiga Tons Carbon

HIHistorical Institutionalism

ICBL International Campaign to Ban Landmines

IEGInternational Environmental Governance

IMFInternational Monetary Fund

IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

IRInternational Relations

NGO Non- Governmental Organization

OECD The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

PPM Parts Per Million

RI Rational choice Institutionalism

SI Sociological Institutionalism

UNUnited Nations

UNEOUnited Nations Environment Organization

UNFCC United Nations Frame work Convention on Climate change

US United States

WEO World Environment Organization

WSSD World Summit on Sustainable Development

Chapter one: Introduction

1.1) Climate Change

Since the overall concern of this thesis is climate change, it could be useful to give some basic information regarding this subject area. This part gives brief explanations to the following questions: 1. what is climate change? 2. What are the main case scenarios predicted for the future? 3. Are we heading towards the worst case scenario?

1.1.1) the definition of climate change

"Climate change in IPCC usage refers to a change in the state of the climate that can be identified (e.g. using statistical tests) by changes in the mean and/or the variability of its properties and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer. It refers to any change in climate over time, whether due to natural variability or as a result of human activity."(IPCC, 2007) As it is obvious some might conclude from the mentioned definition that, human beings might not be the main cause of climate change and it might occur due