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Fariborz Zelli

Fariborz Zelli

Professor | Principal Investigator BECC

Fariborz Zelli

Connect the Dots: Managing the Fragmentation of Global Climate Governance

Author

  • Harro van Asselt
  • Fariborz Zelli

Summary, in English

The debate about post-2012 global climate governance has been framed largely by proponents and opponents of the policymaking process established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In light of the proliferation of institutions governing some aspects of climate change, analysts have asked whether a centralized or a polycentric climate governance architecture will be more effective, efficient, equitable, or viable. While these are valid questions, they obscure the fact that global climate governance is already polycentric, or rather: fragmented. This article argues that the more pertinent questions are how to sensibly link the different elements of global climate governance, and what the role of the UNFCCC could be in this regard. We examine these two questions for three aspects of global climate governance: international climate technology initiatives, emerging emissions trading systems, and unilateral trade measures. The article shows that there are strong arguments for coordination in all of these cases, and illustrates the possible role of the UNFCCC. It concludes, however, that possibilities for coordination will eventually be limited by underlying tensions that will plague any future climate governance architecture.

Department/s

  • Department of Political Science
  • BECC: Biodiversity and Ecosystem services in a Changing Climate

Publishing year

2014

Language

English

Pages

137-155

Publication/Series

Environmental Economics and Policy Studies

Volume

16

Issue

2

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Springer

Topic

  • Political Science

Keywords

  • Climate Change
  • Complexity
  • international organisations
  • Interplay
  • Emissions Trading
  • Climate governance
  • global governance
  • FRAGMENTATION
  • UNFCCC
  • Kyoto Protocol

Status

Published

Research group

  • Miljöpolitik

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1432-847X