Comparative typological study of change in global environmental regimes

Abstract

Many global environmental agreements have shown diverse changes in their long-term implementation. Comparative studies on international regimes are limited, and research on change in such regimes is not well developed. A comparative typological study of change in global environmental regimes is presented in this paper. Ernst B. Haas’s “three models of change” is chosen as a framework to explain change in the regimes. The models are (1) incremental growth, (2) turbulent nongrowth, and (3) managed interdependence. They reflect the shift of power balance among member states and their knowledge of policies. The models are applied to five case studies covering the Ramsar, CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna), Basel, Ozone, and Climate regimes, which have been in effect for over 15 years. The three models help explain diverse changes in those regimes. Five factors, (1) shift of power balance and political leadership, (2) the scope of the regime (narrow or wide), (3) institutional legacy, (4) consensual knowledge and conflict of political value, and (5) learning between rival groups, have made major contribution to the change in those regimes.