Institutions for the Earth: Sources of Effective International Environmental Protection

Can environmental institutions be effective at bringing about a healthierenvironment? How? Institutions for the Earth takes a close look at the factors influencing organizedresponses to seven international environmental problems - oil pollution from tankers, acid rain inEurope, stratospheric ozone depletion, pollution of the North Sea and Baltic, mismanagement offisheries, overpopulation, and misuses of farm chemicals to determine the roles that environmentalinstitutions have played in attempting to solve them. Through rigorous, systematic comparison, itreveals common patterns that can lead to improvements in the collective management of these problemsand suggests ways in which international institutions can further the case of environmentalprotection.The contributors identify three major functions performed by effective internationalenvironmental institutions: building national capacity, improving the contractual environment, andelevating governmental concern. The international organizations analyzed within this frameworkinclude the United Nations Environment Program, the Intergovernmental Maritime Organization, theFood and Agriculture Organization, numerous fisheries commissions, the Commission for Europe,theOslo and Paris Commissions, the Helsinki Commission, and the United Nations Fund for PopulationAssistance.Peter M. Haas is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University ofMassachusetts, Amherst. Robert 0. Keohane is Stanfield Professor of International Peace at HarvardUniversity. Marc A. Levy is Assistant Professor of Politics and International Affairs at PrincetonUniversity and Associate at Harvard's Center for International Affairs.

Peter M. Haas is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.