Weltumweltpolitik ‐ Grundriß und Bausteine eines neuen Politikfeldes

Citation

Hulmut Jenkis, H.C. (1999), "Weltumweltpolitik ‐ Grundriß und Bausteine eines neuen Politikfeldes", International Journal of Social Economics, Vol. 26 No. 4, pp. 576-578. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijse.1999.26.4.576.3

Udo E. Simonis is Professor for Environmental Policy, Technical Development and Labour Studies at the Berlin Scientific Centre for Social Research. He has edited a collection of papers which ‐ at least in German ‐ bears a somewhat peculiar title. A literal translation would read: “World Environmental Policy”. The sub‐title means “Design and the Building Blocks for a New Field of Policy”. At least the sub‐title evokes a very lofty pretension.

This publication contains 14 chapters, of which four were written by the editor. The selection of literature was collected by the editor and a candidate for a doctor’s degree. Apart from Professor Simonis, ten authors made contributions. The majority of the authors come from Berlin and are students, candidates for a doctor’s degree, or work in the field of environmental research or policy. A global consideration of this new field of policy not only would have welcomed authors from different parts of the world but would have also requested a more sophisticated treatment of this theme.

This collection of papers is subdivided into three parts: the first part (pp. 9‐34), the “Design of a World Environmental Policy”; both papers in this part were written by the editor. The second part has the title “Building Blocks of an Environmental Policy” (pp. 37‐216); it contains eight papers, of which two were written by the editor. The third paper (pp. 219‐87) treats the “Connections of the World Environmental Policy” and is followed by a selected bibliography.

In his “Introduction” the editor underlines the necessity for a global (i.e. a world‐wide) environmental policy since these problems cannot be solved on a local or national basis. Consequently, the aggravating environmental problems comprise some of the central questions of international policy. According to Udo E. Simonis this book was written in order to counteract the possibility of a catastrophe (i.e. to recognize, to understand and to prevent this catastrophe). A political change is indispensable. In order to avoid an expensive treatment of a dangerous situation ‐ for example the greenhouse effect ‐ a world‐wide precautionary policy should be introduced. In this connection, one could have expected that in an extensive chapter the results of the Rio Conference in 1992 would have been discussed. Udo E. Simonis refers to this UN Conference only briefly (p. 17), however, and observes that economists have put forward a number of strategic proposals. In his contribution, “International Law and World Environmental Policy” (pp. 243‐65), Frank Biermann elaborates upon the necessity for a replacement of national law by international rules. Although a common concern of mankind cannot be neglected, a human right to a sound world environment is not yet in existence (international law is based on co‐ordination not on subordination). This is one of the fundamental problems for an effective world environmental policy. The Kyoto Conference in 1997 made it clear that this type of world environmental policy depends not only on the insight but also on the political willingness to subordinate national interests to global necessities.

This assessment could be considered as an appropriate approach to the subject “World Environmental Policy”. This is not the core of the collection of papers, however. The European situation is quite different from that in the USA, in China, or in Australia since these are large nations (or a continent) whereas Europe is sub‐divided into more than 20 countries. The former Soviet Union has been replaced by a number of countries which, for economic and/or political reasons, are not able or not willing to subordinate the national policy to global (i.e. European) interests. The Chernobyl accident in 1986 demonstrated the vulnerability not only of the former Soviet Union but of the European continent as a whole. In order to avoid a similar accident, the western countries are under pressure to give financial and technical aid to the Ukraine. This is, in fact, an example of world environmental policy.

Notwithstanding these remarks, it should be emphasised that the editor raises the fundamental question, namely, whether prevention is possible or a catastrophe is probable. We agree with Udo. E. Simonis that there are positive economic, social and political options. We are still far away from a world‐wide environmental policy, however.

This collection of papers can be considered as a building‐block for a theoretical structure in which international regulations do not go beyond mere co‐ordination. Nevertheless, it would be desirable to establish what the ideal international political principles would be. It is therefore recommended that the author writes another book which deals with the past failures and with the realistic prospects for a future world environmental policy. Such a comprehensive draft policy would go well beyond this collection of quite valuable papers.