Abstract
“Access and allocation” is one of the five analytical problems identified as key for analysing earth system governance in the first Earth System Governance Science and Implementation Plan officially published in 2009. Ten years later and with a new Science and Implementation Plan in place, it is time to take stock. Therefore, this paper addresses the question: What does a decadal review of the Earth System Governance literature tell us about how to conceptualize and define access and allocation, what ethical norms and epistemologies underlie access and allocation research, and what does Earth System Governance scholarship reveal about the interplay between access and allocation and other norms? We find that: (a) there is a relatively small body of the Earth System Governance literature on access and allocation, albeit growing; (b) this literature is largely empirical and dispersed across a variety of topics; and (c) there is a diversity of ethical norms and principles emphasized in Earth System Governance scholarship, but the dynamics between different forms of access and related implications for allocation are relatively underexplored. In light of these findings and with a new Earth System Governance Science and Implementation Plan in place, this paper highlights key areas for further research and development.
Highlights
The Earth System Governance project introduced the analytical problem of access and allocation to address fundamental questions of “justice, fairness, and equity” in the first Earth System Governance Science and Implementation Plan officially published in 2009 (Biermann et al 2009, p. 16)
This paper presents the harvesting of 10 years of Earth System Governance research on access and allocation by using an epistemological and an ethical lens
We first introduce epistemology and ethics as conceptual lenses in analysing access and allocation (1.). We use these lenses to analyse the empirical findings of the Earth System Governance literature on access and allocation, respectively (2.). We review how this literature examined the interplay between access and allocation and other norms (3.) we conclude by highlighting a new research agenda for the decade of Earth System Governance research (4.)
Summary
Allocation refers to distribution of risks and burdens as well as rights and respon‐ sibilities (Biermann et al 2009) In this context, allocation examines how problems are addressed from the perspective of the affected and those responsible, respectively (Gupta and Lebel 2010). The review is based on the analysis of 62 articles over the period 2007–2017 (see Bib‐ liography Annex) We identified these articles by examining the research output of those Earth System Governance fellows explicitly identifying access and allocation as a key area. We review how this literature examined the interplay between access and allocation and other norms (3.) we conclude by highlighting a new research agenda for the decade of Earth System Governance research (see Earth System Governance 2018) (4.)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
