Are international environmental agreements truly making a difference? This paper critically examines the effectiveness of international environmental regimes, challenging conventional assumptions about their impact on global issues. It delves into the debate between institutionalists, who believe regimes significantly shape international society, and realists, who view them as reflections of deeper power dynamics. Recognizing that the truth likely lies in between, the article emphasizes the need for robust methods to assess the causal links between international institutions and collective outcomes. The author offers a comprehensive review of efforts to develop clear inferences and integrated indices for measuring regime effectiveness. Special attention is given to international environmental regimes, where the need for reliable assessment tools is particularly acute. The analysis explores the challenges inherent in attributing specific outcomes to institutional actions, given the complexity of international relations and the influence of external factors. Despite the modest results achieved thus far, the paper argues that substantial opportunities remain to refine our analytical approaches. The insights presented have significant implications for policymakers and researchers alike. By identifying the limitations of current evaluation methods, the paper paves the way for developing more effective strategies for environmental governance. The call for improved inferences and indices underscores the importance of evidence-based decision-making in addressing pressing global challenges.
This article, published in Global Environmental Politics, directly addresses the journal’s core focus on international environmental governance. It critically examines the effectiveness of international regimes, a central theme in environmental policy, and offers insights into improving environmental outcomes. By focusing on methodology and assessment, it contributes to a more rigorous understanding of global environmental politics.