Suchergebnisse

In Canada, and many resource-based economies, governments have been very effective in promoting and exploiting mineral development to accomplish various national objectives. Much less certain, and relatively overlooked by the research community, is whether or not governing institutions have the capacity to create and implement the complex and adaptive strategies identified as crucial for addressing the environmental challenges posed by mining. We explore the institutional capacity to govern for sustainability and offer some possible strategies relevant not only to Canadian policymakers, but to other world-leading mineral-producing countries. Adapted from the source document.

Despite the dire implications of anthropogenic climate change, societies have failed to take comprehensive action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A major reason for the lack of social and political engagement on this issue is the way in which political myths function to overcome the contradiction of environmental degradation and endless economic growth. Through a qualitative analysis of Australian business responses to climate change, we outline how the myths of corporate environmentalism, corporate citizenship, and corporate omnipotence absorb and adapt the critique of corporate capitalism while enabling ever more imaginative ways of exploiting nature -- a process of 'creative self-destruction'. Rather than seeking to falsify these myths, we explore how they are supported and what they seek to achieve -- the work of myths. Revealing the nature of current political myths in relation to climate change is, we argue, a necessary first step to constructing alternative imaginaries. Adapted from the source document.

French cognitive policy analysis, with its frame of reference theory, assumes that meaning structures public action. The purpose of this article is to show, based on the work of Daniel C. Dennett, that the philosophy of mind may renew the analysis of the theoretical limitations encountered by the frame of reference theory. The soft realism concerning the existence of mental states which Dennett defends provides an opening for a dialogue between cognitive science and public policy analysis. Adapted from the source document.

The German Greens had a disappointing election outcome on 22 September 2013. Its 8.4% of the vote, well below its record 10.7% in 2009, left the party shocked and dispirited. Adapted from the source document.

The mission in Afghanistan revealed fundamental shortcomings, inconsistencies and contradictions of core elements of German security policy. In an effort to contribute to the debate about the factors that account for the idiosyncrasies of German security policy, the purpose of this study is to assess how far Germany learned lessons from its policy failures in Afghanistan. The study introduces a typology of learning, which is mainly based on the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF); delineates the German security policy belief system; and explores two prominent cases of policy failure: the deployment of the Bundeswehr and leadership of the international police training mission. Utilising different sources of data, the study confirms assumptions of the ACF about the stability of core beliefs and shows that the lack of precise policy objectives was a significant barrier to learning. Instead of clarifying Germany's strategic viewpoint, Afghanistan has further enhanced its disorientation in security policy. Adapted from the source document.

Local strategies for adaptation to climate change in Denmark and Norway are discussed. In both countries, the national impetus for local adaptation is weak; it is largely left to local actors to take the initiative. The dynamics of the different approaches to climate-change adaptation at the local level are illuminated. Using decision-making and learning theory, we present an analytical framework to examine four cases, two in Norway and two in Denmark, which represent two different responses, i.e. anticipatory actions and obligatory actions. We find that, by bringing in knowledge and resources and engaging in persuasive communication across sectors, the presence of institutional entrepreneurs in the adaptation process plays a key role in building legitimacy for anticipatory action in the municipal organisation. Adapted from the source document.

Mainstream analyses have often understood environmental effectiveness as a consequence of the shape of interests and policymaking, and have tested their models through statistical techniques. Results have, however, proved quite erratic. It is argued that these weaknesses reflect a misconception about causality, thus highlighting the need for a shift in both model and method. A different model is therefore developed that explains effectiveness through policy tools and ideas. The model is then applied to the performances of the EU15 member states in mid-2000s, and assessed using Qualitative Comparative Analysis. Cases are polarised around two classic cleavages ('environmentalists' vs. 'productivists', and 'pro-marketers' vs. 'protectionists'), but give evidence that all the related tool mixes are able to deliver -- while the relevant difference between leaders and laggards lies in the use of evaluation devices. Adapted from the source document.

In the wake of the global financial crisis, interest in the relationship between the economy and the environment substantially increased. Several proposals emerged between 2008 and 2012 for the creation of a 'Green New Deal', 'Green Stimulus', and a 'Green Economy'. These proposals are often conflated with one another under the rubric of 'green capitalism', but there are important distinctions to be made between them. Each suggests a different role for the state in regulating the market and the financial sector (i.e. they suggest different models of capitalism). The proposals can also be distinguished by the positions taken on ecological modernisation (i.e. they put forward different models of 'greenness'). Recognition that there are varieties of green capitalism being mooted increases the opportunities for more targeted critiques of each model and enables a more constructive debate about the options for creating sustainable economies in the developed world. Adapted from the source document.

Environmental third-sector organisations (EOs) aim to bring about social change by influencing not only policy making but also citizens' attitudes and behaviours directly. While there is some evidence that direct involvement in environmental initiatives can encourage carbon-reducing behaviours, it is often believed that less direct forms of engagement are less effective in supporting behaviour change. This article provides a first direct comparison of associations between direct and indirect involvement with EOs and carbon-reducing behaviours, based on a representative UK survey. Results show that while direct involvement is more strongly associated with carbon-reducing behaviours than indirect involvement, both associations remain significant in the combined model. However, this only applies to more affluent respondents and not to those who, due to social disadvantage, do not participate in high-carbon activities. This suggests that EOs may further behaviour change through broader outreach work, especially among better-situated groups. Adapted from the source document.

The article analyses the record of the United Nations Special Tribunal for Lebanon, focusing on its domestic impact as well as on the main obstacles the tribunal has faced since its establishment. The study looks at how the legitimacy problems of the STL have deeply affected the tribunal's capacity to deliver justice for the political assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, as well as its potential to foster peace and stability within Lebanon. Analysing the shortcomings of the STL can highlight the inherent challenges international criminal tribunals face in ensuring that the 'Justice' delivered by the tribunal meets local perceptions of 'justice' as well as the community's need to preserve internal stability and foster reconciliation. Adapted from the source document.

According to the Copenhagen School's Regional Security Complex Theory (RSCT), Turkey is an insulator state as it sits at the intersection of different security complexes without truly being part of any of them. This understanding of Turkey's position in the international security realm has offered a welcome contribution to the eternal debate about the country's security alignment between East and West. Turkey has, in recent years, become more active on the international stage, diversifying its relations and taking a more assertive stance regarding international security issues. This shift in its foreign and security policy is related to the country's ambition to become a great power in the near future. However, according to RSCT, it is quite improbable for there to be an insulator state that is also a great power. This article elaborates on the tension between this theory and Turkey's ambitions in an attempt to understand whether and how RSCT remains a useful theoretical framework for the understanding of Turkey's foreign and security relations. Adapted from the source document.