Transnational Environmental Governance

‘Gulbrandsen’s book makes a careful and reflective investigation and comparison of the empirical cases. It presents an insightful and comprehensive analysis of factors demonstrated to be important for the emergence, functioning, and problem-solving capacity of certification schemes.’
– Magnus Boström, Review of Policy Research

‘Transnational Environmental Governance provides both an excellent overview of the issues to be taken into account in studying voluntary certification systems, and an effective in-depth study of the forestry and fishing cases. . . highly effective as a treatment of environmental certification, and as a starting point for the study of the phenomenon.’
– J. Samuel Barkin, Global Environmental Politics

‘This is a well-written and accessible book, offering a nuanced analysis of the emergence, organisation, and effectiveness of certification programs in forests and fisheries. This book is recommended to practitioners, students, and researchers interested in certification of forests and fisheries. I think it could also be useful to those with a general interest in environmental governance, as it offers valuable lessons from this empirical analysis of two of the most advances cases of (allegedly) nonstate governance.’
– Erik Hysing, Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy

‘This book provides a timely contribution to both academic and policy debates by examining the processes and mechanisms of the emergence and proliferation of non-state governance schemes, specifically comparing forest and fisheries certification. The empirical evidence challenges conventional wisdom by showing that political and public regulatory frameworks are essential in the implementation of certification programs. This is highly recommended reading when discussing to what extent – and how – non-state transnational governance schemes can solve the problems they were intended for.’
– Katarina Eckerberg, Umeå University, Sweden

‘Transnational Environmental Governance provides a comprehensive and insightful analysis of the emergence and effects of certification schemes as novel mechanisms of environmental policy-making beyond traditional intergovernmental cooperation. Gulbrandsen's multi-level study will be highly useful for scholars, practitioners and graduate students who seek to advance their understanding of private rulemaking at both national and global levels. The book is highly recommended.’
– Frank Biermann, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

‘A comprehensive and highly informative analysis of two of the most important examples of non-state governance mechanisms that have emerged to address the shortcomings of government environmental regulation. This book’s theoretical framework and detailed case-studies represent an important contribution to our understanding of the accomplishments and limitations of certification programs to advance corporate social responsibility.’
– David Vogel, University of California, Berkeley, US

‘Incisive and nuanced, Transnational Environmental Governance significantly advances our understanding of the capacity of certification to influence the environmental behaviour of corporations and consumers. Lars Gulbrandsen’s subtle analysis leaves us with an innovative toolbox to explain when and why voluntary certification programs succeed – or fail – to strengthen environmental governance. It is essential reading for anyone wanting a more accurate way to evaluate the growing number of non-state certification programs.’
– Peter Dauvergne, University of British Columbia, Canada

In recent years a wide range of non-state certification programs have emerged to address environmental and social problems associated with the extraction of natural resources. This book provides a general analytical framework for assessing the emergence and effectiveness of voluntary certification programs. It focuses on certification in the forest and fisheries sectors, as initiatives in these sectors are among the most advanced cases of non-state standard setting and governance in the environmental realm.

Paying particular attention to the Forest Stewardship Council and the Marine Stewardship Council, the author examines how certification initiatives emerged, the politics that underlie their development, their ability to influence producer and consumer behavior, and the broader consequences of their formation and spread. The analysis of the certification of forests and fisheries offers a wealth of insights from which to better understand the capacity of non-state governance programs to ameliorate global environmental problems.

Containing a detailed review of the direct effects and broader consequences of forest and fisheries certification, this book will be warmly welcomed by scholars of environmental politics and corporate social responsibility, as well as practitioners involved in non-state certification programs throughout the world.