Sustainable Development

Sustainable Development

Anne E. Egelston Sustainable Development A History 123

Dr. Anne E. Egelston Government Department Lone Star College-Montgomery Conroe, TX 77384 USA Quotations from Reimann (2006) A View From the Top: International Politics, Norms and the Worldwide Growth of NGOs appear with permission from Wiley. Copyright and Photocopying (c) 2006 International Studies Association. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission in writing from the copyright holder. Authorization to photocopy items for internal and personal use is granted by the copyright holder for libraries and other users registered with their local Reproduction Rights Organization (RRO, e.g. Copyright Clearance Center (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 02193, USA) (www.copyright.com), provided the appropriate fee is paid directly to the RRO. This consent does not extend to other kinds of copying such as copying for general distribution, for advertising or promotional purposes, for creating new collective works or for resale. Special requests should be addressed to Blackwell Publishing at: journalrights@oxon.blackwellpublishing.com. ISBN 978-94-007-4877-4 ISBN 978-94-007-4878-1 (ebook) DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-4878-1 Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg New York London Library of Congress Control Number: 2012948992 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. Exempted from this legal reservation are brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis or material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the Copyright Law of the Publisher s location, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Permissions for use may be obtained through RightsLink at the Copyright Clearance Center. Violations are liable to prosecution under the respective Copyright Law. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)

Acknowledgments My dream of publishing this book would not have been possible without the generous love, time, and support of my parents, Tom and Carol Egelston. This book began life as a dissertation in 2005, but languished on the shelf for 4 years after I graduated and I am astounded that it was ever published at all. I continue to owe debts of gratitude to my advisors at Rutgers University Newark. I also want to thank and acknowledge all of the time spent on the phone to my brother, John and his wife, Wendy, whose expertise in editing and proofreading extended far and above any reasonable request of a sister-in-law. This is especially true when the phone call travels half way around the world. To my grandfather, Wayne Lewallen, who insists that he needs a footnote. To Eleanor, John, Dorris, and Laura, who weren t able to see this to completion. To Princess, Cowboy, Pumpkin, Claire Bear, and Stinky Pants, you re stuck with me, I m afraid. v

Contents 1 An Invitation to Explore the Role of NGOs... 1 1.1 Environmental Consciousness... 1 1.2 NGOs Political Influence on Sustainable Development... 3 1.3 Research Design... 4 1.4 Methodology... 5 1.5 Remainder of the Book... 7 References... 8 2 NGOs Herald the Arrival of Sustainability... 11 2.1 UNEP... 12 2.2 The UN Environmental Conferences... 13 2.3 NGOs at the UN Conferences... 20 2.4 Sustainable Development... 26 References... 31 3 Theoretical Concepts... 35 3.1 An Outline... 35 3.2 Global Civil Society... 36 3.3 Regime Theory... 41 3.4 Global Environmental Governance... 43 3.5 NGO Influence... 48 3.5.1 Rational Moral Authority... 48 3.5.2 Goal Achievement... 49 3.5.3 Political Influence... 51 3.5.4 Power and Influence... 52 3.5.5 Explanatory Factors... 53 3.6 A Model Emerges... 53 References... 54 4 From Stockholm to Our Common Future... 59 4.1 Environmental Affairs Prior to Stockholm... 59 4.2 Stockholm... 61 vii

viii Contents 4.3 The Lost Years... 73 4.4 Sustainability Away from the UN... 77 4.5 Nairobi... 81 4.6 Conclusions... 84 References... 85 5 Reflections... 89 5.1 Introduction... 89 5.2 Three Key Propositions... 90 5.3 Global Governance Theory Revisited... 93 5.4 NGO Goals... 96 5.4.1 Goal Achievement... 96 5.4.2 Providing Expert Assistance... 97 5.4.3 Lobbying Decision Makers... 98 5.4.4 Representing the Organization... 99 5.4.5 Implementing Policy... 100 5.4.6 Keeping Issues Alive... 101 5.5 Conditions Impacting Influence... 102 5.5.1 Normative Traits and Characteristics... 102 5.5.2 NGO Capabilities... 103 5.5.3 Political Circumstances... 104 5.5.4 Player s Expectations... 105 5.5.5 Structural Rules of Engagement... 106 5.6 NGOs and the Cold War... 107 5.7 Conclusions... 108 References... 108 6 Parting Thoughts... 109 6.1 Introduction... 109 6.2 Lessons Learned... 110 6.3 Implications... 111 6.4 One Way Forward... 112 6.5 Directions for Further Research... 113 6.6 Conclusions... 114 References... 114 Index... 115

List of Abbreviations BINGO Business and Industry Non-Governmental Organization CSD Commission on Sustainable Development ECOSOC Economic and Social Council ELCI Environment Liaison Centre International ELB Environment Liaison Board ENGO Environmental Non-Governmental Organization GNP Gross National Product INASEN International Assembly of Non-Governmental Organizations Concerned with the Environment ICC International Chamber of Commerce ICSU International Council for Science IIED International Institute for Environment and Development IIEA International Institute of Environmental Affairs IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources IWC International Whaling Commission NIEO New International Economic Order NGOs Non-Governmental Organizations OECD Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development PrepComs Preparatory Committees SCOPE Special Committee for Problems on the Environment TNC Transnational Corporation UN United Nations UNCED United Nations Conference on Environment and Development UNCHE United Nations Conference on the Human Environment UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization UNEP United Nations Environment Program WCED World Commission on Environment and Development WSSD World Summit on Sustainable Development WTO World Trade Organization ix