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Ecological Interdependence and Environmental Governance in Northeast Asia: Politics vs. Cooperation
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Abstract
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In Chapter 8 Sangmin Nam assesses the current state and process of regional environmental "governance" in Northeast Asia. He does this by examining multilateral and bilateral mechanisms for institutionalizing environmental governance. Nam first describes the growing ecological interdependence in Northeast Asia, much of it stimulated by regional air and marine pollution. As a consequence of this interdependence, since the early 1990s Northeast Asia has experienced the emergence and evolution of various forms of multilateral and bilateral environmental governance. These governance mechanisms have led to different levels of institutionalization. Some of them contain specific scope for action and have moved toward the establishment of organizational and financial institutions. Nam evaluates this institutionalization of international environmental cooperation, uncovering the different levels of progress, the move beyond broad policy forums to specific provisions for action, and the role of international and nongovernmental organizations and epistemic communities. Nam finds that most of the cooperative mechanisms he examines have been suffering from similar symptoms: significant gaps between national interests, lack of financial sources and consensual knowledge, and only nominal roles for non-state actors.
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The ultimate purpose of institutionalization of ecological interdependence is not merely the establishment of institutional mechanisms for overseeing intergovernmental and regional environmental issues, but the strengthening of practices that carry out effective implementation of environmental protection activities. Effective implementation implies bringing about behavioral changes of actors through governance, and thus substantial amelioration of environmental harm. However, in the context of such objectives, Nam argues that regional environmental governance has fallen short. He assesses Northeast Asian efforts, pointing out that successful environmental governance in other regions has been achieved without eradication of existing heterogeneities among states, but it has involved alteration of their incentives. Basic provisions for the alteration of incentives in Northeast Asia could be achieved through activities that are targeted to assist each state's domestic environmental needs that also have regional implications. The creation of "multi-dimensional consensual leadership" is also important for altering national interests. It mitigates existing political conflict by helping to distribute leadership to participants according to their particular environmental concerns, capacities, and enthusiasm for action. Active participation of nongovernmental organizations and epistemic communities in regional governance is also crucial, not only to urge states to implement and comply with activities defined by certain governance mechanisms, but also to promote desirable norms and principles of regional governance.
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