Call for papers: Global Environmental Governance

Aims and Scope
There is a rising consensus about the increasing interconnectedness of countries, nations and societies. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement are examples that countries recognize their interconnected interests and goals. This is particularly evident in global environmental issues, as they require global policy making. Since the first global conference focusing on environment held in Stockholm in 1972, the world has been experiencing various environmental problems as well as related economic and social impacts. The emergence of global environmental issues, such as climate change, marine pollution and biodiversity loss, has created new challenges for governance and requires political support for and innovation in global public policies.

Many of the drivers of decision making are now global, melding with domestic interests yet questioning the “sacred” right of national sovereignty. New global environmental governance frameworks and policy mechanisms are needed to coordinate the local and global public interests. However, we face quite a few obstacles to fulfil these attempts since a successful global solution involves many actors and factors. For example, countries may be reluctant to bear significant costs to avoid pollution that affect their neighbors. There is also an asymmetry to power in decision making. Small island states are among those most vulnerable to climate change, despite having insignificant emissions, but they have limited influence in international climate negotiations.

This special issue aims to gather contributions that analyze the governance of global environmental issues at local, national and international levels, with a particular focus on multilevel governance and innovative public policies. We invite submissions that introduce novel ideas and evidence-based policy recommendations to improve global environmental governance. Interdisciplinary research papers on relevant topics that combine different theoretical and methodological approaches are particularly welcomed.

Papers may include the following topics, but not limited to: 

• Theories of global environmental governance

• Crises and opportunities for global environmental governance

• Global environmental policy-making

• Coordination and integration of local and global environmental policies

• Role of international organizations and non-State actors

• Evaluation of current global environmental agreements

• Compliance and enforcement of international environmental agreements

• Comparative studies of global environmental governance

• Network analysis of global environmental regimes

Proposed Timeline

Extended abstracts (500-800 words) due 

October 31, 2021

Decision on the abstracts 

November 15, 2021

First full paper drafts due                              

March 31, 2022

Comments from reviewers expected by        

May 31, 2022

Workshop in Shanghai                                  

May 2022 (TBC)

Final full papers accepted by                        

December 15, 2022

Publication of the special issue                      

First half of 2023

All submissions are subject to peer review. Accepted articles will be published online first. The issue is planned to be published in the first half of 2023.

We have plans to hold a hybrid format workshop with the authors that have abstracts accepted. The workshop will take place in Shanghai (China) in May 2022. More information will be provided in the end of 2021.

Extended abstracts should contain the title of the paper, research question(s), methodology and the main (expected) findings and conclusions. Abstracts should be submitted to: jose.puppim@fgv.br and qianhaoqi@fudan.edu.cn (include Special Issue on Environmental Governance in the subject).

Further Information

Questions may be addressed by email to any of the guest editors: jose.puppim@fgv.br or qianhaoqi@fudan.edu.cn.