Papers by Michelle Scobie
Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance
International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics
The structural elements of global environmental governance are notoriously difficult to change an... more The structural elements of global environmental governance are notoriously difficult to change and align with the needs of a rapidly deteriorating earth system. This, however, only increases the need to focus on the role of agency in this context. This paper does so by taking stock of what we know about agency in relation to International Environmental Agreements (IEAs) and suggests directions for future research. We contribute a conceptual framework to enable the mapping of research on agency related to IEAs and advance more systematic study of agency in this context. The framework differentiates between the negotiation of IEAs, their implementation and outcomes, and includes agency-related and context-related drivers of agency in these processes. We subsequently review articles published between 2003 and 2020 in the journal International Environmental Agreements (as one of the few journals exclusively focusing on IEAs) dealing with actors’ agency and analyse how these articles add...
Frontiers in Marine Science, 2022
Earth System Governance, 2019
In September 2018, following over a decade of informal discussions, the United Nations General As... more In September 2018, following over a decade of informal discussions, the United Nations General Assembly launched an intergovernmental conference to address the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction. This process is scheduled to take two years and is structured around four themes: marine genetic resources, area-based management tools (including marine protected areas), environmental impact assessments, and capacity building and marine technology transfer. This Perspective draws on the earth system governance literature and the authors' own experience of and views on the BBNJ process to provide insights and recommendations for the ongoing negotiations. It highlights three areas of concern: (i) the politicization of science and coping with scientific uncertainty, (ii) institutional fragmentation; and (iii) the need for a new agreement to respond to the complex set of multiple, multilevel, and systemic threats to marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction.
Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance
fetus to live on its own if it were delivered by cesarean section or by normal delivery, and give... more fetus to live on its own if it were delivered by cesarean section or by normal delivery, and given expert medical care. This typically occurs sometime after the 21st week of gestation or the 19th week following fertilization. By about the 23rd week gestational age or the 21st week following fertilization, on the order of 60% of fetus can survive outside the womb. The US Supreme Court defines viability as "potentially able to live outside the mother's womb, albeit with artificial aid." Pro-choice is a belief that women should be given access to abortions if she wishes to terminate a pregnancy. Pro-life is a belief that human life becomes a human person during the conception process when a unique DNA is produced. Thus the lives of all pre-embryos, embryos, and fetuses should be protected under law until birth.
Global Environmental Governance and Small States, 2019
Global Environmental Governance and Small States
Global Environmental Governance and Small States, 2019
− The role of the state as an agent of earth system governance has become more complex, contingen... more − The role of the state as an agent of earth system governance has become more complex, contingent, and interdependent. − Although participatory and collaborative processes have contributed to more effective, equitable, and legitimate environmental governance outcomes in some instances, analyses of these processes should be situated within a broader governance perspective, which recasts questions of policy change around questions of power and justice. −The complexity and normative aspects of agency in earth system governance requires new forms of policy evaluation that account for social impacts and the ability of governance systems to adapt. − Many of the core analytical concepts in ESG–Agency scholarship, such as agency, power, authority, and accountability, remain under-theorized. In addition, some types of actors, including women, labor, non-human agents, those who work against earth system governance, and many voices from the Global South, remain largely hidden. − ESG–Agency sc...
Policy brief, 2014
to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, the discussion on the Post-2015 Devel... more to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, the discussion on the Post-2015 Development Framework and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is beginning to gather momentum. Existing literature on the MDGs points out that countries’ achievement of the goals varies significantly, given the general "one size fits all" nature of the MDGs (Vandermoortele 2011). Others also point out that MDGs lack overall objectives and perspectives on what needs to happen after the MDGs are achieved – namely, concrete plans and indicators for developing countries to leapfrog towards sustainability are missing. Taking this critique into account, the following three points have great importance for the post-2015 MDGs framework: (1) set global benchmarks as well as bottom-up goals in line with national circumstances that are practical and clear, (2) set universal goals for both developing and developed countries, including issues such as climate change, human rights and human s...
Global Environmental Governance and Small States, 2019
Not all international and regional courts survive the test of time. There is more literature on t... more Not all international and regional courts survive the test of time. There is more literature on those that did as compared with those that failed. The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) created in 2001 is today at a juncture where the usefulness and longevity of the Court sometimes comes into question by legal theorists and legal practitioners given the apparent lentitude of political adhesion to its appellate jurisdiction by some regional states. There has been substantial debate in the region over the readiness of the region to embrace the Court's appellate jurisdiction, it centres on perceptions and debates around legitimacy, representativeness, bias, independence and indigenous jurisprudence. To understand and contextualise the apparent difficulties that this young court faces, this article puts these debates within the wider international relations contexts of regionalism and the growth and demise of regional and international courts. Within this context, four factors contrib...
Small Island Developing States (SIDS), or Large Ocean States as some prefer to be known, are at a... more Small Island Developing States (SIDS), or Large Ocean States as some prefer to be known, are at a critical juncture: they are reliant on reforms in global institutions that need to happen quickly. SIDS have immense potential to innovate and adapt to global conditions, but they are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts and other external shocks and face significant structural challenges in managing these risks. Younger generations of SIDS citizens face the triple jeopardy of crippling debt, a degraded natural environment and frequent, devastating disasters. SIDS have a high need for climate finance-particularly for adaptation and resilience-but they often have the weakest capacity to access it and are far from obtaining the volumes they need. UN Member States have acknowledged that the SIDS are a special case for sustainable development, but this needs to translate into greater support and coordination of climate and development cooperation. Reforms are needed across development assistance, debt and climate finance, using common definitions and criteria for eligibility and towards the common goals of honouring commitments made under the Paris Agreement and SAMOA Pathway and to improving aid effectiveness. Series Readers are encouraged to reproduce material for their own publications, as long as they are not being sold commercially. ODI requests due acknowledgement and a copy of the publication. For online use, we ask readers to link to the original resource on the ODI website. The views presented in this paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of ODI or our partners.
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Papers by Michelle Scobie