Effective of International Environmental Governance - Report Example

International Environmental Governance Has Never Been Effective Name Institution Date International Environmental Governance Has Never Been Effective Introduction International environmental governance comprises the policy mechanisms, financing instruments, set of laws and measures and standards that are applied in the process of regulating universal environmental security. It is argued that whereas the international governance has expanded in its size and scope it has not been effective in the achievement of its main objective in regards to improving the ecology and attaining sustainable development. This is due to the fact that despite the laws and regulations enacted to protect the environment there continues to be environmental degradation and contamination throughout the world. In some instances the universe is now feeling the effects of global warming due to the persistent environmental degradation and omission of other harmful gases into the universe. The failure of the international environmental policies, rules and regulation has greatly led to the failure in terms of governance and ineffectiveness of the global policies that are put in place. The essay therefore seeks to discuss the underlying reasons behind the international environmental governance being regarded as ineffective (Andresen, 2007). International Environmental governance has never been effective In general terms the efficiency of the international environmental governance greatly relies on the implementation at both domestic and international levels. However the implementation of the global policies, rules and regulations in regard to environmental protection has not been successful due to the various reasons. There is lack of cooperation and coordination between the domestic level, international level and among the international organizations such as United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). Hence there is lack of general policy guidance in the environmental field that is coupled with a weak role that the international organization UNEP is playing and lack of political good will from various countries involving their role in environmental protection and governance (UNEP, 2001). The failure of coordination should not be blamed upon the international institution but the failure of the member state through lack of political will and hence leading to the lack of effectiveness in the international environmental governance in its entirety. Lack of coordination is also experienced in terms of the policies that member states engage in implementation. Coordination plays a major role and therefore lack of coordination within the governance body leads to ineffectiveness in its aims and objectives in the protection of the environment. In some member states for instance USA there is a high rate of implementation as opposed to other developing countries globally (Najam, 2005). Another major challenge that has contributed to lack of effectiveness on the international environmental governance lies in the lack of implementation that comprises lack of compliance, enforcement and effectiveness. The international environmental governance system largely concentrates on negotiating new agreements in regards to environmental protection rather than implementing the existing agreements. The implementation shortage is propelled by lack of effective instruments that are in a position in meeting the initial goals and objectives of the international environmental governance system. In addition the ecological coordination lacks a significant disagreement resolution organ hence the minority alternatives are accessible to guarantee and implement conformity (Roch, 2003). Lack of implementation is also as a result of lack of political will from the member states whereby an agreement is reached upon in regards to environmental protection but the same is not implemented due to lack of political will of the member state. For instance the agreement in relation to pollution of environment through emission of dangerous gases has never been implemented by the entire existing member states as some countries still emit harmful gases that has greatly affected the environment leading to the adverse effects of global warming being experienced. There is also lack of coordination between science and environmental policies that will enhance effectiveness in environmental protection. The international environmental governance lays more emphasis of signing of projected treaties and agreements as opposed to the implementation process of the existing treaties. However the lack of a proper implementation procedure acts as an impediment in the effectiveness of the governance body (Najam, 2005). Inefficient use of resources acts as another factor that greatly contributed to the lack of efficiency in the international environmental governance system. Although it is argued that there is the factor of insufficient resources being allocated for the purposes of environmental protection it is important to note that for the available resources there exists a lot of duplication and lack of coordination in the system as a whole (Held & Koenig 2005). Despite the World Bank playing a major role in the funding of various environmental progarmmes other programmes remain underfunded as a result of duplication of activities that results in higher operational costs being experienced. The World Bank plays an important role in the process of financing several environmental projects but the funds provided are largely misappropriated. Effectiveness is also hampered by a great deal of lack of transparency in financing and fluctuation of the resources being allocated for the purposes of environmental protection and governance. Furthermore the dependence of the international organizations such as the UNEP on voluntary is also a challenge since UNEP mainly concentrates on short term programs as opposed to long term programs that would in the end help in enhancing the effectiveness of the international environmental governance system (UNEP, 2001). Another major challenge that has contributed to the ineffectiveness of the international environmental governance system is lack of an effective mechanism that would ensure that environmental considerations are successfully incorporated into non environmental policy grounds. It is evident that a lot of environmental crucial decisions that play an important role in the environmental governance are made outside the environmental field. Hence environmental decision makers are rarely incorporated in the decision making processes that affect the environmental governance procedures (French, 2002). The international environmental government system is rarely incorporated in such forums as the trade, security development in the important decisions that affects the environment. Therefore failure to be constituted in such fields and in the process of making important decisions has greatly contributed to the ineffectiveness of the international environmental governance system in its aims and objectives of the protection of the environment through enactment of rules that regulations that govern environmental protection procedure (Andresen, 2001). The institutions that are largely engaged in global environmental control were designed with the main aim of being state centered. In recent times the civil society and other environmental NGOs are increasingly playing an important role as far as global environmental policy making is concerned. Thus these NGOs engage in major international conventions and treaty drafting as well as offering both monitoring and evaluation roles. The Non Governmental Organizations NGOs are increasingly being involved in international policy making in environmental matters that began with the Rio conference in 1992. However, the major weakness is that the international environmental governance system was not designed in a way that it would accommodate the private sector in its mandate of environmental protection. Hence the main challenge leading to its ineffectiveness is the lack of a suitable mechanism to generate an institutional liberty in order to consent to the non state actors to recognize their complete potential in the environment protection and governance. For instance in 1999 at the well renowned World Economic Forum, Kofi Annan challenged organizations such as the UN, unions and civil society to support universal environmental and social principles that would enhance the effectiveness of international environmental governance and sustainability (Susskind, 1994). Conclusion The international environmental governance system has not been effective in its aim of protection of the environment. However this is not to state that nothing has been achieved so far since much has been achieved in the environmental arena. The shortcomings of the international environmental governance have greatly contributed to the ineffectiveness of the governance system as a whole. There is great need to address the challenges facing the international environmental governance system in order to enhance its effectiveness. There is also need for a political good will among the member states to facilitate the implementation of the policies and allow for more international agreements to be made worldwide. The governance body should also strive to use the available resources in a manner that will benefit the existing and projected environmental policies in the future. Hence if nothing is done to improve the international environmental governance system in the way of its operations the system will continue to be ineffectiveness and the aim of environmental protection and sustainability will never be achieved. Incorporating science into the environmental policies is also important in ensuring the effectiveness of the international environmental governance system. Science therefore plays important role in so far as environmental policies are concerned. References Andresen S., (2007). ‘Key Actors in UN Environmental Governance: Influence, Reform and Leadership’. International Environmental Agreements: Politics Law and Economics Vol. 7, No. 4 Najam, A. (2005). Developing countries and global environmental governance: From contestation to participation to engagement. Special issue on international agreements, International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, 5(3), 303-321. United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP). (2001). International Environmental Governance: Report of Executive Director. The Governing Council of UNEP, Seventh Special Session in Cartagena, Columbia. Roch, P., (2003). International Environmental Governance: Striving for a Comprehensive, Coherent, Effective and Efficient International Regime. Geneva. Held, D. and Koenig M. (eds.), (2005). Global Governance and Public Accountability. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. French, H., (2002). Reshaping Global Governance. In State of the World, 176-83. Andresen, S., (2001). Global Environmental Governance: UN Fragmentation and coordination. In yearbook of International cooperation on Environment and Development 2001/2002. London: Earthscan Publications, 19-26. Bernstein, J., 2005. “The Role of Science in Strengthening Global Environmental Governance.” In UNEO – Towards an International Environment Organization: Approaches to a sustainable reform of global environmental governance. Najam, A., 2004. “Neither Necessary, Nor Sufficient: Why Organizational Tinkering Will Not Improve Environmental Governance.” In A World Environment Organization: Solution or Threat for Effective International Environmental Governance? Edited by Frank Biermann and Steffen Bauer. Pages 223–242. London: Ashgate. Susskind, L., 1994. Environmental Diplomacy: Negotiating More Effective Global Agreements. New York: Oxford University Press. Read More