Policy Processes that Shape International Environmental Governance

Abstract

The policy process in international environmental institutions has six stages:

• 1. problem definition,

• 2. policy negotiation,

• 3. adoption of the policy by nation states,

• 4. implementation,

• 5. compliance, and

• 6. evaluation.

Compliance is determined by the extent to which the parties implement the given policy. Evaluation is the stage of examining the degree of effectiveness in dealing with a given problem. These stages comprise a typical policy cycle.¹ However, characterizing the policy process in a way that assumes that the completion of one stage automatically leads to a successful next stage risks the erroneous assumption that policy, once established, will be implemented effectively. In turn, it further risks the flawed assumption that policy will automatically generate a desire for continuing compliance by those involved.