Analytical Foundations

“Governance is the greatest challenge facing the international community. In fact, only if the nations of the world cooperate in establishing institutions and rules in support of the global common good will the phrase “international community” have practical meaning. Otherwise, sovereign nations will live, and very likely die, not in a community at all but in a Hobbesian jungle.The overarching common goal can best be defined in the negative: avoiding catastrophe for the planet. Because of humankind’s mastery of technology, we now have the capacity to destroy ourselves. We can do so today and quickly, in a thermonuclear war; or we can do so tomorrow, more slowly but no less completely, through the ruination of our environment.

This project shares a conviction that traditional national policy and international diplomacy are no longer sufficient, either in pace, scope or substance. Retarding and reversing the damage that we are already inflicting on our environment requires an unprecedented, coordinated, long-term effort involving ambitious, innovative, and flexible coalitions of state and non-state actors, especially non-governmental organizations that tap into the resources, knowledge, and activism of citizens.”

– Adapted from Strobe Talbott in Global Environmental Governance edited by Daniel C. Esty and Maria Ivanova

The Current State of the Global Environmental Governance Regime
The impetus for the Global Environmental Governance Project and its first analytical task was to assess the current state of the global environmental governance regime. This link provides an introduction to the GEG regime, strengths and weaknesses of that regime, relevant definitions of GEG structure and function.

GEG Functions »
One of the primary work objectives undertaken by the Project participants to date has been to identify the desired functions of a strengthened global environmental governance regime. Such desired functioning requires some reform to the current system and as a result various policy options for achieving the reform have surfaced. This link provides access to a comprehensive list and discussion of the existing and potential functions that characterize the GEG regime.

Institutional Models »
Project participants have looked to describing institutional models that may generate ideas about potential institutional arrangements for an improved governance regime or may serve as lessons for the current governance regime. This link provides access to a description of these institutional models and further links to relevant websites.

Institutional Analysis »
A set of resources on assessing the effectiveness of international organizations and governance systems.