States and international organisations are formal actors in drawing up international environmental agreements. As mentioned, nongovernmental organisations also has a key role to play. From the time of the adoption of the United Nations Charter in 1945, which provided for accreditation of NGOs (Art. 71), the NGO world experienced exponential growth. Some scholars believe that a critical mass has been reached making NGOs the new “fifth state” on the field of global governance (Fitzduff et.al., 2004:2) . NGOs have, in many places, become significant political actors, and this heterogeneous group has made its presence felt at the local, national, and international levels.
However, the growing numbers of NGOs do not entail a similar transition of their official status under the UN system. As provided in the UN Charter (Art. 4), only states can be members of the organisation. Hence, only voting states have formal powers to determine the outcome of international treaty negotiations. NGOs are subject to rules established by states, if any, for their limited participation in negotiation meetings. Although NGOs are cannot vote during international negotiations, they have devised ways to have an effect on the results of the process. However, the degree of NGO influence in international policymaking varies from one negotiation to another and this is becoming a major subject of interest for legal and NGO scholars.
This study aims to bring the debate on NGO influence to the current stage of international climate change negotiations. This thesis shall explore the influence of key ENGO’s within the legal framework of participation in climate change policymaking with particular focus on the issue of process for negotiation of post-2012 climate policy during the Eleventh Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC and first Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP11 and COP/MOP1) as well as the events leading to and following the said meeting, as may be relevant.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
1. Subject of the Thesis
2. Research Questions
3. Limitations of the Study
4. Review of Literature
5. Theoretical Approach and Methodology
5.1. Regime Theory
5.2. Stages of Regime Formation
5.3. Power, Interests and Knowledge in Regime Formation
(i) Power-based approach for Regime Formation
(ii) Interest-based approach for Regime Formation
(iii) Knowledge-based approach for Regime formation
5.4. Case Study Approach
5.5. Analytical Framework
II. Climate Change: Science, Policy and ENGOs
1. The Science of Climate Change
2. Development of Climate Regime
2.1. From Rio to Kyoto
2.2. Beyond COP 3: Events Leading to the Entry into Force of the Kyoto Protocol
3. Legal Context of NGO participation in Climate Change Negotiations
III. Case Study Analysis
1. Introduction
2. Beyond Kyoto: Post-2012 climate policy
3. Key Bodies and Relevant Actors in Post-2012 Negotiations during COP 11 and COP/MOP 1
3.1. The Global Policy Forum
3.2. States/Policy-Makers
(i) The European Union
(ii) JUSCANNZ
(iii) G77/China
(iv) OPEC
(v) Economies in Transition
(vi) AOSIS
3.3. Environmental NGOs: Climate Action Network
(i) CAN Membership
(ii) Organisational Profile
(iii) CAN Strategies in International Climate Negotiations
4. Stages of International Policy Formation
4.1. Agenda Setting: Issue of Post-2012 in the Negotiating Table
(i) Seminar of Government Experts
(ii) UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies 22
4.2. Negotiation Phase: COP 11 and COP/MOP 1
4.3. Operationalization: 2006 Implementation of COP 11 and COP/MOP 1 Decision
(i) UNFCCC Dialogue on Long-Term Cooperative Action
(ii) Ad Hoc Working Group on Article 3.9 of the Kyoto Protocol
5. Analysis of Evidence of NGO Influence on post-2012 negotiations at COP 11 and COP/MOP 1
5.1. Evidence of CAN Participation
(i) Access
(ii) Resources
(iii) Activities
6. Evidence of goal attainment
6.1. CAN Policy Goals for COP 11 and COP/MOP 1 on Post 2012 issue
7. Effects on Negotiation Outcome
8. Effects on Negotiation Process
9. Indicators of NGO Influence
10. Tracing Causal Mechanisms
10.1. Process Tracing
10.2. Counterfactual Analysis
IV. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This thesis investigates the role and political effectiveness of the Climate Action Network (CAN) in international climate change negotiations, specifically focusing on the negotiations regarding post-2012 climate policy during COP 11 and COP/MOP 1. It seeks to determine whether and how CAN influenced the negotiation process and the final outcomes in an arena traditionally dominated by state actors.
- The evolution of ENGO influence in global climate governance.
- Methodological frameworks for analyzing NGO influence in international negotiations.
- The impact of the Climate Action Network on the "post-2012" negotiation agenda.
- Comparison of negotiation processes during COP 11/MOP 1 and preparatory meetings.
- Causal mechanisms linking NGO participation to observable changes in policy outcomes.
Excerpt from the Book
3.3. Environmental NGOs: Climate Action Network
One strategy used by ENGOs to improve access to governments and other official bodies, or compensate for lack of it, is to form alliances with kindred ENGOs in order to share information and co-ordinate positions on common issues. Collaboration of ENGOs have the potential to bridge existing schisms and transcend political challenges that governments find insurmountable. Cross-border ENGO networks have opened up unprecedented ways for citizen groups to influence governments and mobilize international pressure for action (Susskind, et. al., 2002: 155). As far as climate change is concerned nearly all ENGOs co-ordinate their positions through the Climate Action Network (CAN) (Gulbrandsen and Andresen, 2004: 61).
Since 1989, CAN has been actively involved in negotiations of climate-related policies and measures at the national and international levels. The organization was an idea of Marianne Ginsburg of the German Marshall Fund. In light of the growing concerns about changing climate due to human activities in the 1980s, Ginsburg decided that something should be done to facilitate coordination by NGOs in the US and Europe involved in the climate change issue (Waddell, 2003: 4). Under her initiative and the Fund’s financial support, about 20 environmentalists were brought together in Germany in 1989 at Loccum Academy in Hanover and they put together the beginning of the Climate Action Network (Ibid). The meeting in Germany was followed by the founding of Climate Network Europe (CNE) with the leadership of Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and World Wild Fund for Nature and the Stockholm Environment Institute (Ibid).
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: Outlines the research focus on ENGO influence, specifically the Climate Action Network's role in the post-2012 climate policy negotiations at COP 11/MOP 1, while establishing the academic relevance of the study.
II. Climate Change: Science, Policy and ENGOs: Provides a foundational overview of climate change science, the history of the international climate regime from Rio to Kyoto, and the legal context for NGO participation.
III. Case Study Analysis: Conducts a detailed investigation into the negotiation processes for post-2012 policy, evaluating the participation, strategies, and measurable influence of CAN throughout these specific international meetings.
IV. Conclusion: Summarizes the study’s findings, concluding that CAN exercised a high level of influence on the final decisions reached at COP 11/MOP 1 regarding the post-2012 negotiation process.
Keywords
Climate Change, COP 11, COP/MOP 1, Climate Action Network, ENGOs, Post-2012, International Negotiations, Kyoto Protocol, UNFCCC, Regime Theory, Policy Formation, Environmental Governance, NGO Influence, Montreal Mandate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The work examines the political effectiveness and influence of the Climate Action Network (CAN) within international environmental negotiations, specifically concerning the development of climate policies for the period beyond 2012.
Which key thematic areas does the study cover?
It covers climate science, the historical development of international climate regimes, the legal participation of non-governmental organizations in UN frameworks, and the specific case study of COP 11/MOP 1 in Montreal.
What is the primary goal or research question?
The research asks to what extent ENGOs, represented by CAN, participated in the negotiations leading to the COP 11 and COP/MOP 1 decisions, and how their influence on the negotiation outcome and process can be explained.
What scientific methodology is utilized?
The study employs a modified version of the analytical framework developed by Betsill and Corell, utilizing triangulation of data sources, process tracing, and counterfactual analysis to evaluate influence.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body details the evolution of the climate regime, the role of various state actors and alliances (such as the EU and G77), the organizational structure of CAN, and an analysis of how CAN successfully lobbied for a two-track negotiation process for post-2012 commitments.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Core keywords include Climate Change, Post-2012, NGO influence, COP 11, Climate Action Network (CAN), UNFCCC, and Montreal Mandate.
How did CAN successfully lobby during the Montreal negotiations?
CAN utilized various strategies including the daily publication of the "ECO" newsletter, the "Fossil of the Day" awards to pressure obstructive nations, direct lobbying of delegates, and the coordination of international protests to raise public awareness and pressure governments.
What was the outcome of the post-2012 negotiations according to the author?
The author concludes that CAN successfully influenced the negotiations by ensuring the adoption of a two-track negotiation process, which provided a pathway for future re-engagement of non-parties like the United States and maintained the Kyoto framework as a central pillar for post-2012 policy.
- Quote paper
- MSc Rabbi Deloso (Author), 2007, ENGO Influence in International Climate Change Negotiations - Case Study of the Issue of Post-2012 during COP 11 and COP/MOP 1, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/118449
