State and the Global Ecological Crisis

Bibliographic Data

ID23401408
EditorsJohn Barry (0000-0002-6543-7698), Robyn Eckersley
Year2005
Pages333
Publication date2005-01-01
Open AccessNo
TypeBOOK
VenueState and the Global Ecological Crisis (SOURCE_BOOK)
PublisherMIT Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.7551/mitpress/6439.001.0001
ISBN9780262267830
Open LibraryOL29593777M
LanguageEN
Citations received79

Countering the current view of many environmental activists that sovereign nations cannot provide effective environmental governance, The State and the Global Ecological Crisis offers analyses and case studies that explore the prospects for "reinstating the state" as a facilitator of progressive environmental change rather than a contributor to environmental destruction. The authors recognize that, despite the new pressures of global economic competition and rapid technological change, the state remains the preeminent institution with the capacity and authority to secure environmental protection. The book explores the possibilities for the "greening" of the state, domestically and internationally, looking at states both as individual governments and in multilateral or regional regimes. It examines cases in North America, Europe, Australia, and the Philippines and analyzes the broader theoretical implications. The first part of the book focuses on domestic environmental governance, with both single and comparative case studies that range from the potential emergence of an "ecological state" paralleling the development of the welfare state to the theory and practice of environmental justice in the United States. The book's second part addresses the role of the state in transnational environmental governance and looks at topics including environmental rights in the European Union, hybrid forms of governance involving both state and nonstate actors, and an alternative foundation for global environmental governance. Each chapter not only offers a critical analysis of current developments but also identifies new initiatives and opportunities that may accelerate environmental progress.