Understanding Environmental Norms

This timely book studies the centrality of norms in global environmental governance. Expert scholars demonstrate why some environmental norms are eroding while others are gaining unexpected force, assessing how their influence changes across cycles of compromise, contestation, backsliding and renewal. This timely book studies the centrality of norms in global environmental governance. Expert scholars demonstrate why some environmental norms are eroding while others are gaining unexpected force, assessing how their influence changes across cycles of compromise, contestation, backsliding and renewal. Exploring how different scholars conceptualise norms and how these principles have emerged, the book analyses the implementation and impact of norms on global environmental governance. Chapters examine a diverse array of case studies that investigate the rights of nature, anti-fossil fuel, recycling and species protection norms, among others. The book advances norm theory, particularly in the context of international relations, providing fresh insights into how morality shapes humanity’s impact on the planet. Understanding Environmental Norms is a valuable resource for scholars and students of international politics, political science, environmental law, geography, sociology and environmental studies. It is also beneficial to practitioners and policymakers working on environmental governance and seeking a better understanding of the evolving power of norms.