The most significant shift in environmental governance over the last thirtyyears has been the convergence of environmental and liberal economic normstoward libe... » 

The most significant shift in environmental governance over the last thirtyyears has been the convergence of environmental and liberal economic normstoward liberal environmentalism which predicates environmental protectionon the promotion and maintenance of a liberal economic order. Steven Bernsteinassesses the reasons for this historical shift introduces a socioevolutionaryexplanation for the selection of international norms and considers theimplications for our ability to address global environmental problems.The author maintains that the institutionalization of sustainable developmentat the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development UNCEDlegitimized the evolution toward liberal environmentalism. Arguing that most ofthe literature on international environmental politics is too rationalist andproblemspecific Bernstein challenges the mainstream thinking on internationalcooperation by showing that it is always for some purpose or goal. His analysisof the norms that guide global environmental policy also challenges the oftenpresumed primacy of science in environmental governance. «