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The Transnational Regime Complex for Climate Change

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  • Kenneth W Abbott

    (Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University, 1100 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA)

Abstract

In climate change, as in other areas, recent years have produced a ‘Cambrian explosion’ of transnational institutions, standards, financing arrangements, and programs. As a result, climate governance has become complex, fragmented, and decentralized, operating without central coordination. Most studies of climate governance focus on inter state institutions. In contrast, I map a different realm of climate change governance: the diverse array of transnational schemes. I analyze this emerging system in terms of two theoretical frameworks developed to describe, explain, and evaluate complex governance arrangements—regime complex theory and polycentric governance theory—revealing fruitful avenues for positive and normative research. I conclude by arguing that the benefits of institutional complexity could be increased, and the costs reduced, through nonhierarchical ‘orchestration’ of climate change governance, in which international organizations or other appropriate authorities support and steer transnational schemes that further global public interests.

Suggested Citation

  • Kenneth W Abbott, 2012. "The Transnational Regime Complex for Climate Change," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 30(4), pages 571-590, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envirc:v:30:y:2012:i:4:p:571-590
    DOI: 10.1068/c11127
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Finlay MacGregor & Vasna Ramasar & Kimberly A. Nicholas, 2017. "Problems with Firm-Led Voluntary Sustainability Schemes: The Case of Direct Trade Coffee," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-25, April.
    2. Jessica F. Green, 2017. "The strength of weakness: pseudo-clubs in the climate regime," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 144(1), pages 41-52, September.
    3. Michael Schoon & Michael E. Cox, 2018. "Collaboration, Adaptation, and Scaling: Perspectives on Environmental Governance for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-9, March.
    4. Yixian Sun, 2017. "Transnational Public-Private Partnerships as Learning Facilitators: Global Governance of Mercury," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 17(2), pages 21-44, May.
    5. Laura Silvia Valente Macedo & Pedro Roberto Jacobi, 2019. "Subnational politics of the urban age: evidence from Brazil on integrating global climate goals in the municipal agenda," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 5(1), pages 1-15, December.
    6. Heidingsfelder, Jens, 2019. "Private sustainability governance in the making – A case study analysis of the fragmentation of sustainability governance for the gold sector," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1-1.
    7. Schleifer, Philip & Fiorini, Matteo & Fransen, Luc, 2019. "Missing the Bigger Picture: A Population-level Analysis of Transnational Private Governance Organizations Active in the Global South," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1-1.
    8. Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Van de Graaf, Thijs, 2018. "Building or stumbling blocks? Assessing the performance of polycentric energy and climate governance networks," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 317-324.
    9. Caleb Gallemore, 2017. "Transaction costs in the evolution of transnational polycentric governance," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 17(5), pages 639-654, October.

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