1st Edition

International Environmental Agreements An Introduction

Edited By Steinar Andresen, Elin Boasson, Geir Hønneland Copyright 2012
    216 Pages
    by Routledge

    216 Pages
    by Routledge

    International environmental agreements provide a practical basis for countries to address environmental issues on a global scale. This book explores the workings and outcomes of these agreements, and analyses key questions of why some problems are dealt with successfully and others ignored.

    By examining fundamental policies and issues in environmental protection this text gives an easily comprehensible introduction to international environmental agreements, and discusses problems in three areas: air, water and on land. It traces the history of agreements in broad thematic areas related to long-distance air pollution, ozone-depleting and greenhouse gases, ocean management, biological diversity, agricultural plant diversity and forest stewardship. Drawing on experts in their respective fields, this book provides an insightful evaluation of the successes and failures, and analysis of the reasons for this. Concluding with an insightful examination of research to show how performance of agreements can be improved in the future, this volume is a vital contribution to our understanding of the politics associated with establishing international environmental consensus.

    International Environmental Agreements will be of interest to scholars, students and researchers in global environmental politics, international relations and political science.

    Steinar Andresen is Senior Research Fellow at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Norway, and formerly professor at the Dept. of Political Science, University of Oslo.

    Elin Lerum Boasson is Research Fellow at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Norway.

    Geir Hønneland is Research Director at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute and adjunct professor at the University of Tromsø.

     

    Part I Introduction  1. An international environmental policy takes shape  Part II Air Pollution  2. Long-range transport of air pollutants in Europe  3. International ozone politics  4. International climate cooperation  Part III Ocean Management  5. Law of the sea  6. North Sea pollution control 7. International fisheries politics  Part IV Nature Protection and Biodiversity  8. Convention on Biological Diversity  9. The plant treaty  10. International forest politics  Part V Conclusions  11. Ideals and practice in international environmental politics

    Biography

    Steinar Andresen is Senior Research Fellow at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Norway, and formerly professor at the Dept. of Political Science, University of Oslo.

    Elin Lerum Boasson is Research Fellow at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Norway.

    Geir Hønneland is Research Director at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute and adjunct professor at the University of Tromsø.

    "The book is extremely well organised and all the case studies...are interesting and well written. [It] provides a well-rounded synopsis to anyone interested in international environmental politics...It succeeds [in making the text accessible to students] quite elegantly." - International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics.

    "This is an excellent comparison of major international environmental regimes that captures many of the lessons of the study of international environmental politics over the last 40 years. It is a splendid resource for teaching and for researchers...Buy it. Read it. Assign it." - Professor Peter Haas, UMASS Amherst, USA.

    "[This book] provides a well-rounded synopsis to anyone interested in international environmental politics. The editors make it clear from the outset that their primary audience is students... That said, this book will nevertheless appeal to academics, researchers and policy-makers wishing to expand their horizons and learn more about environmental regimes that are often, though wrongly, treated as peripheral..." -Stavros Aflonis (2012).

    "This text gives an easily comprehensible introduction to international environmental agreements. [It] is a vital contribution to our understanding of the politics associated with establishing international environmental consensus"International Law Reporter