Transnational Politics Final Exam
Week 2 – Transnational Sustainability Challenges
Our argument
- Transnational environmental governance is not footloose: it always intersects with
government and intergovernmental organization
- Nor states nor transnational actors can go it alone
- Fundamental issue underlying sustainability governance: is adjusting to sustainably
produced goods sufficient, or is more radical change needed?
Discussion outline
- Transnational private sustainability standards as new mode of transnational
governance: promise and perils
- Tropical deforestation: is transnational sustainability governance the answer?
Transnational private sustainability standards
- Non-State actors (NGOs, business, academics) govern global production
- Require compliance with social, economic and environmental standards
- Verify compliance through external checks
- Mostly voluntary in legal terms
o No system in place that non-compliant businesses get punished
- Self-regulation
Why do businesses become enthusiastic about these standards?
- Cater to sustainable consumers and shareholders
- Cater to employees that care about sustainability
- Manage business reputation
- Cost efficiency
- Manage business risk
- Prevent burdensome government regulation
- Enlightened entrepreneurs
Why are analysts enthusiastic about these standards?
- Speedy governance
- Flexible, adaptive governance
- Inclusive governance (multi-stakeholder)
- Powerful governance: leveraging large multinationals
Dragon 1: Standard organizations maybe not so inclusive as we thought?
Dragon 2: Standard organizations focus on lowest hanging fruit- difficult production areas
neglected?
- The important cases that will make the most difference are not being addressed or at
least not enough
Week 2 – Transnational Sustainability Challenges
Our argument
- Transnational environmental governance is not footloose: it always intersects with
government and intergovernmental organization
- Nor states nor transnational actors can go it alone
- Fundamental issue underlying sustainability governance: is adjusting to sustainably
produced goods sufficient, or is more radical change needed?
Discussion outline
- Transnational private sustainability standards as new mode of transnational
governance: promise and perils
- Tropical deforestation: is transnational sustainability governance the answer?
Transnational private sustainability standards
- Non-State actors (NGOs, business, academics) govern global production
- Require compliance with social, economic and environmental standards
- Verify compliance through external checks
- Mostly voluntary in legal terms
o No system in place that non-compliant businesses get punished
- Self-regulation
Why do businesses become enthusiastic about these standards?
- Cater to sustainable consumers and shareholders
- Cater to employees that care about sustainability
- Manage business reputation
- Cost efficiency
- Manage business risk
- Prevent burdensome government regulation
- Enlightened entrepreneurs
Why are analysts enthusiastic about these standards?
- Speedy governance
- Flexible, adaptive governance
- Inclusive governance (multi-stakeholder)
- Powerful governance: leveraging large multinationals
Dragon 1: Standard organizations maybe not so inclusive as we thought?
Dragon 2: Standard organizations focus on lowest hanging fruit- difficult production areas
neglected?
- The important cases that will make the most difference are not being addressed or at
least not enough
