Week 4 Outline

PS 336, Global Environmental Politics 

Spring Semester 2005

Week 4 Outlines 

Wednesday, September 7:   The Role of International Organizations

I.     Key Concepts

• International Governmental Organization (IGO)

• International Regime (International Governance)

• Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)

               International Organizations and NGOs (Website of the Union of International Associations with an extensive 

                    data base on international organizations) 

II.    Definition of Regime 

• Regimes can be defined as sets of implicit or explicit principles, norm rules, and decision-making procedures around which actors' expectations converge in a given area of International Relations. ---- Stephen Krasner, 1982

III.    The United Nations System

        Central Organs

• • General Assembly

•  

  • Security Council

•  

  • Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

•  

  • Trusteeship Council

•  

  • International Court of Justice

•  

  • Secretariat

IV.    UN Bodies Focusing on Environmental Problems

• United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) formed 1973

• Gloal Environment Facility (UNEF) formed 1990

• United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) formed 1993

V.    UN Specialized Agencies that Address Environmental Problems

• World Health Organization (WHO)

• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

• World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

• International Maritime Organization (IMO)

• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

• International Labor Organization (ILO)

• United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

VI.    Major International Economic Institutions

• The World Bank (official name is International Bank for Reconstruction and Development)

• International Monetary Fund (IMF)

• World Trade Organization (formerly GATT)

• European Union (formerly the European Community)

Friday, September 9: The Roles of Nongovernment Organizations

NGOs comprise what is referred to as "civil society"

I.    Types of NGOs

•     Public Interest/Advocacy

  • Sierra Club

  • Greenpeace

  • Environmental Defense Fund

  • International Planned Parenthood

  • Union of Concerned Scientists

•   

•  

•     Scientific/Professional

  • International Council for Science (ICSU)--formerly the International Council of Scientific Unions

  • International Social Science Council (ISSC)

  • International Institute for Environment and Development    (Earth Negotiations Bulletin)

•   

•  

•     Industry/Trade Associations

  • Global Climate Coalition

•  

  • Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy

•  

  • World Business Council for Sustainable Development

•      Religious Organizations

  • World Council of Churches

  • National Association of Evangelicals

•   

• Other

•  

  • World Economic Forum

  • World Social Forum

II.    What NGOs Do?

•     Call Attention to Problems

•     Coordinate Scientific Inquiry

•     Provide Expert Opinion

•     Propose International Rules and Programs

•     Lobby Governmental Policy Makers and Negotiators

•     Educate the Public

•     Mobilize Public Support

•     Monitor Compliance and Pressure Violators

III.    Larger Issues

•     Are NGOs an unmixed blessing?

•     Are they representative of public interests around the world?

•     Do single issue organizations bring a very balanced view to the process?