Globalisation and the environment: on triangle concepts and three pillars' strategies

Abstract

"The transition to a globalised world is progressing rapidly, but the transition to a sustainable one is not. Globalisation and the environment are still 'worlds apart', as a title of a recent book says (Speth 2003). Therefore, I am grateful for the efforts undertaken to find answers to the question of how to reach globalisation of environmental management. I would like to start my presentation with four introductory remarks: 1. First of all, congratulations! The Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML) stands for 25 years of imaginative and successful environmental research. That is quite a long period of time; that means quite some experience. I have seen many institutes and researchers coming during those years; quite a few of them then disappeared…Thanks, therefore, for inviting me to this special event; and let's start for another 25 years today! 2. International advertisements of the University of Leiden used to begin with a wonderful motive: 'The Universiteit Leiden never hesitates to push aside what is outdated or obsolete, yet values tradition and the attainments from the past. It often has to lead the way, and always takes a critical stance on fashion and trends'. I very much like that motive, and intend to make it my own. 3. The first speaker at a symposium or conference should never try to give all - or even the 'final' - answers to the questions asked by the organisers. Better leave that to the other speakers or the rapporteur. For today's event, and in view of the excellent speakers you invited, this old wisdom should hold all the more. Instead of giving final answers, I shall start with some observations and add a few more questions, before coming to some possible priorities on how to proceed with global environmental management. 4. The Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML) obviously is fond of 'triangles' or 'three pillars' models'. The CML is doing work (1) on Environment and Development, (2) on Environmental Biology, and (3) on Industrial Ecology - one such triangle. Today’s symposium is also structured like a triangle or three pillars' model. The main question of the organisers was: Should environmental problems and globalisation of environmental management be approached in a supra-national, a multi-lateral and/or a private way? Are these three approaches complementary or competing?" (author's abstract)

Der Verfasser diskutiert unterschiedliche Modelle von Global Governance auf dem Gebiet der Umweltpolitik. Dabei werden verschiedene Akteure wie Regierungen, Unternehmen und Zivilgesellschaft, verschiedene Ebenen (privat, multilateral, supranational) und räumliche Dimensionen (lokal, regional, global) sowie Fragen der Nachhaltigkeit berücksichtigt. Es schließen sich Überlegungen zu internationalen umweltpolitischen Strategien auf dem Weg zu "Global Environmental Governance" an. In diesem Zusammenhang werden auch institutionelle Faktoren, Fragen der Verhandlungsstrategie und Probleme der Konfliktlösung angesprochen. (ICE)