States’ interests at international climate negotiations: new measures of bargaining positions

Abstract

To advance empirical research on international environmental institutions, new data on national positions at the international climate change negotiations are introduced. The observations cover more than 90 countries at two historical moments of climate change decision making: the pre–Kyoto Protocol enforcement (2001–2004) and the post–Kyoto Protocol (2008–2011) meetings. Data were collected from different types of written text. Coding entailed a qualitative (dictionary-based) content analysis and a quantitative text analysis. By systematically exploring these new data, I offer a ‘map’ of national preferences at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). I also propose a discussion of the dimensions of conflict and policy competition over 10 years of climate negotiations.