Multilateral environmental agreements as information media: their functions and a theoretical framework

Abstract

Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), which have increased since the 1970s to address global environmental issues, have persistently tended to be analyzed and evaluated in terms of their aspects as international law in global environmental governance studies. However, research to improve the quality of communication by identifying information that influences the inner lives of non-state actors, especially their normative attitudes and behavioral intentions that directly affect their behavioral change, still needs to be established. We focus on another aspect, MEAs as information media. In the process of gradual development from their entry into force, MEAs continuously absorb all kinds of information and release new information. We named such an information refinement process “The Metabolism of Information.” Emphasizing the function of MEAs as information media promotes a shift to emerging research approaches emphasizing the information transfer process. Among these, we propose one theoretical framework, focusing on the utility of Sentiment Analysis using Natural Language Processing (NLP) and the need to combine it with Environmental Psychological theories to apply the results. This integrated framework has modeled a series of processes that make the most of the immediacy of information technology and enable policy reflection with immediate effect and is expected to be discussed as bridging the gap between Sentiment Analysis and practical policy building. In the future, investing in human resources and technical equipment and interdisciplinary collaboration would be crucial to address ethical issues in anticipation of an accelerated shift to data-driven research approaches to promote MEAs as information media.