David Belis

Building a municipal food policy regime in Minneapolis: implications for urban climate governance

With this paper we analyze Minneapoliss urban food policy regime and attempt to make a case for applying urban regime theory (URT) to study climate change governance at the municipal level. In 2008 Minneapolis launched Homegrown Minneapolis, a multiple stakeholder initiative bringing together local government actors, businesses, and NGOs to build a sustainable and local food system. As the link between food systems and climate change is increasingly acknowledged in the literature, the analysis of food policy regimes provides valuable lessons for understanding the dynamics of urban climate governance. Theoretically, we attempt to contribute to the fields of urban climate governance and urban political theory by applying URT as developed by urban political theorist Clarence N Stone and others. To this end, a ‘building blocks’ approach is introduced, facilitating and enhancing the analysis of the different elements of a regime, including initiation, coalition building, agenda setting, resources, cooperation, and consensus building. We show that there are several key elements comprising successful regimes: individual political leadership, knowledge exchange, and community-wide collaborative engagement.

The socialization potential of the CDM in EU–China climate relations

This article hypothesizes that the material incentives associated with the clean development mechanism (CDM) have contributed to the internalization of climate protection norms in China. In current academic research, the CDM has both been extolled as a cost-effective and vilified as an environmentally and ethically inadequate climate mitigation instrument. Few studies so far, however, have looked into the CDM’s potential contribution to socialization-related phenomena such as raising climate change awareness in emerging economies. The relationship with the EU is highly relevant in this context, as the emission reduction credits (CERs) resulting from CDM projects would not have had any meaningful prices without the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). This article aims to fill the current research gap by studying the socialization potential of the CDM in EU–China climate relations in four periods, namely initiation (2001–2005), improvement (2005–2007), consolidation (2008–2010) and habit formation (2010–2014). We argue that there is at least a discernible effect and that the underlying causal mechanism involves the emergence and activities of norm entrepreneurs and habit formation through a process of legal institutionalization.

The Socialization Potential of the CDM in EU-Vietnam Climate Relations

This article argues that the material incentives associated with climate policies such as the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) may contribute to the socialization of emerging economies such as Vietnam in economic-oriented climate change norms. In current academic research, the CDM has both been extolled as a cost-effective and vilified as an environmentally inadequate instrument. Few studies so far, however, have looked into the CDMs potential contribution to socialization-related phenomena such as raising climate change awareness. This article aims to fill that gap by studying the CDM in EU–Vietnam relations in four periods, namely initiation (2001–2007), improvement (2008–2010), consolidation (2010–2012), and potential habit formation (2012 and beyond), with both the EU and Vietnam being important players in the market for CDM credits (Certified Emission Reductions or CERs). We argue that there is at least a strong potential for habit formation resulting from the CDMs material incentives, and that the underlying causal mechanism involves the emergence and activities of norm entrepreneurs and habit formation through a process of legal institutionalization. Policy relevance Normative transformation or change is increasingly attracting the attention of both climate policy makers and scholars alike, certainly in view of the failures of ‘standard’ economic or technological solutions to tackle climate change. There is a need, however, to apply insights from social theory to specific policies and cases. The policy relevance of this article lies here: does the CDM (a specific policy) affect climate concerns (norms) in Vietnam (a specific case)? And, if so, to what extent and why? Based on previous research regarding the Chinese case, it is expected that the CDMs material incentives result in a mild effect in Vietnam, probably less pronounced than in China in view of the latters relative level of economic development, and the strength of its political and legal-institutional system and (human) capacity to develop CDM projects. This articles research findings point out that whether and how ‘deep’ these new shared ideas will succeed in becoming standards of appropriate behaviour in Vietnam might to some extent depend on whether the international community is able to offer a material incentive structure that fosters such a normative transformation.

RESEARCH ARTICLE: China and the European Union: Emerging Partners in Global Climate Governance?

This article analyzes the historical dynamics of the relationship between China and the European Union (EU) in global climate governance. The evolution of this relationship is traced through three time periods: the early days of the United Nations (UN) climate regime (1992–2001), the road to the Copenhagen summit (2001–2009) and the post-Copenhagen phase with the launch of the Durban Platform (2009-present). The contribution aims to expose two of the major structural changes that define current global climate governance dynamics, i.e., globalization and the rise of China, and identify key challenges for an increased collaboration between China and the EU. It is concluded that the EU and China are gradually emerging as strategic partners in global climate governance, but that severe uncertainties regarding the future of the climate regime persist. In order to translate practical bilateral cooperation into more tangible outcomes in the multilateral sphere, a fine balance will have to be struck between traditional Chinese sensitivities regarding sovereignty and economic development, and the EUs desire for an international agreement with ambitious mitigation targets.

Global Climate Governance and the Energy Challenge: European and Chinese Perspectives

China, the European Union and Global Governance examines the key determinants of European and Chinese approaches to the restructuring of global governance systems.

Introduction: governing climate relations between Europe and Asia in a restructuring world order: Evidence from China and Vietnam as Key Emerging Economies

This book provides a thorough empirical study of the most fundamental dynamics, practices and policy processes involved in Europe–Asia climate relations, with a specific focus on China and vietnam as key emerging economies. Due to doubledigit economic growth and related booming greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, major Asian developing economies such as China and, to a lesser extent, India have moved centrestage in all important areas of global governance (Dryzek et al. 2011; Wouters et al. 2012). This restructuring of the global world order is having a profound impact on the global climate regime, as established by the 1992 united nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (unFCCC). Since the 2009 Copenhagen summit, China in particular has assumed a pivotal role in international climate negotiations (Grubb 2010: 127). As a result, the relationship between Asia and the most active player in the climate regime, the European union (Eu), has become a key element for future climate governance practices (belis and Schunz 2012; Schreurs 2010: 89). The rise of China also implies major changes for other Asian developing countries, including vietnam. China is attempting to move away from an economic model based on infrastructure development and cheap consumer good exports, an evolution that is accelerating with the implementation of the 2011–2015 12th socioeconomic FiveYear Plan (Fan et al. 2011). As the Chinese economy moves higher up the international value chain, major parts of its manufacturing industries are relocating towards other lowwage, industrializing countries in the region, such as Indonesia, Malaysia or vietnam (Adams and Tran 2011; Mol and van buuren 2003). vietnam is especially important in this regard because of its geographic location, sustained economic growth and relative political stability. Countries such as vietnam will thus be increasingly important in global climate governance and are likely to join China and the other

EU–China Climate Relations: The Clean Development Mechanism and Renewable Energy in China

China, the European Union and Global Governance examines the key determinants of European and Chinese approaches to the restructuring of global governance systems.