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Corbett, Yi-chong and Weller's impressive new volume examines why and how small states act through International Organizations (IOs), despite their limited resources, and why and how IO secretariats seek to involve small states. In Chapter 2, the authors argue that small states emphasize (or perform) their vulnerability to create a niche role in international institutions, draw other actors' attention to their needs, and ultimately make a difference in IOs. Competently performing vulnerability involves three strategies: rhetorical action, collaboration, and active participation in IOs. In Chapter 3, the authors contend that IO secretariats, meanwhile, are compelled to engage small states and strive to increase these states' effectiveness in multilateralism to maintain the IO's "throughput legitimacy" (balancing input and output legitimacy) as a global actor. [excerpt] ; N/A

International audience ; The biofuel boom is placing enormous demands on existing cropping systems, with the most crucial consequences in the agri-food sector. The biofuel industry is responding by initiating private governance and certification. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and the Cramer Commission, among others, have formulated criteria on "sustainable" biofuel production and processing. This article explores the legitimacy of private governance and certification by the biofuel industry, highlighting opportunities and challenges. It argues that the concept of output based legitimacy is problematic in the case of biofuel as long as no consensus or commonly agreed "best" solution has been established on what sustainable biofuel production is. Furthermore, it shows that the private governance initiatives analyzed fail to adequately include actors from developing countries. Finally, the article argues that we need mechanisms for control and accountability in order to guarantee that the political output of biofuel certification serves the common welfare.