Suchergebnisse

The essay critically engages with the debate on the numerous approaches that seek to connect Marxian theory with thermodynamics/entropy. Starting from the analyses of Podolinsky's energetics published in the 19th century I will go into its rediscovery in the ecological discourse of the 20th century – basically by Martinez- Alier - and the reaction of Burkett/Foster. The essay will conclude with a critique of Elmar Altvater's attempts to connect Marxian value theory and entropy.

"Das Spannungsfeld von Handel und Umwelt ist durch starke Einflussbeziehungen zwischen der Welthandelsorganisation einerseits und internationalen Umweltinstitutionen andererseits geprägt. Zunächst wird ein Konzept entwickelt, das die Kausalmechanismen der Einflussbeziehung zwischen internationalen Institutionen und die daraus entstehenden Folgen für das Regieren im internationalen System erkennen lässt. Sodann wird das konfliktreiche Beziehungsgeflecht zwischen der Welthandelsorganisation und internationalen Umweltinstitutionen mit handelsbeschränkenden Maßnahmen analysiert. Beide Seiten haben die Fähigkeit, die Regulierungstätigkeit der jeweils anderen Seite empfindlich zu stören. Schrittweise entwickelt sich jedoch eine systematische Arbeitsteilung zwischen den beteiligten Institutionen, die die bestehende Einflussbeziehung verstetigt und das Konfliktpotenzial gleichzeitig erheblich reduziert." (Autorenreferat)

"Das Spannungsfeld von Handel und Umwelt ist durch starke Einflussbeziehungen zwischen der Welthandelsorganisation einerseits und internationalen Umweltinstitutionen andererseits geprägt. Zunächst wird ein Konzept entwickelt, das die Kausalmechanismen der Einflussbeziehung zwischen internationalen Institutionen und die daraus entstehenden Folgen für das Regieren im internationalen System erkennen lässt. Sodann wird das konfliktreiche Beziehungsgeflecht zwischen der Welthandelsorganisation und internationalen Umweltinstitutionen mit handelsbeschränkenden Maßnahmen analysiert. Beide Seiten haben die Fähigkeit, die Regulierungstätigkeit der jeweils anderen Seite empfindlich zu stören. Schrittweise entwickelt sich jedoch eine systematische Arbeitsteilung zwischen den beteiligten Institutionen, die die bestehende Einflussbeziehung verstetigt und das Konfliktpotenzial gleichzeitig erheblich reduziert." (Autorenreferat)

This article develops a conceptual framework for the systematic analysis of the interaction between international institutions as a first step towards building a theory of international interaction. It examines how international institutions may exert causal influence on each other's development and effectiveness and suggests that four general causal mechanisms can elucidate the distinct routes through which influence travels from one institution to another. Institutional interaction can thus rely on transfer of knowledge, commitments established under an institution, behavioural effects of an institution, and functional linkage of the ultimate governance targets of the institutions involved. The article also puts forward hypotheses about the likely effects of specific types of institutional interaction for governance within the international system. The causal mechanisms and types of interaction are mutually exclusive models that help analyse real-world interaction situations. They may also serve as a basis for the systematic analysis of more complex interaction situations.

"This article develops a conceptual framework for the systematic analysis of the interaction between institutions as a first step towards building a theory of international interaction. It examines how international institutions may exert causal influence on each other's development and effectiveness and suggests that four general causal mechanisms can elucidate the distinct routes through which influence travels from one institution to another. Institutional interaction can thus rely on transfer on knowledge, commitments established under an institution, behavioural effects of an institution, and functional linkage of the ultimate governance targets of the institutions involved. The article also puts forward hypotheses about the likely effects of specific types of institutional interaction for governance within the international system. The causal mechanisms and types of interaction are mutually exclusive models that help analyse real-world interaction suitations. They also serve as a basis for the systematic analysis of more complex interaction situations." (author's abstract)

"Decisions within the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the
Kyoto Protocol are made by an expert body that acts as a trustee agent
of the member states. Trustee agents help overcome the credible commitment
problems of their principals and promise reason-based decisions.
In contrast to traditional principal-agent settings, trusteeship
relations are typically triadic. Beside the preferences of the principals
and the trustee, decision criteria provide an external point of reference.
They reflect the principals' long-term interest and define the trustee's
decision rationale. The triadic structure helps protect the autonomy of
trustees and allows for making them accountable for their decisions.
Accountability mechanisms intend to ensure that a trustee's decisions
are in line with established decision criteria. Against this backdrop, we
explore the incentives created by the existing institutional arrangement
for the making of CDM decisions and examine selected cases. We
conclude that CDM arrangements provide a model for nonpartisan
international regulation." (author's abstract)