This interdisciplinary article draws from the radical ideas of global political ecology (GPE), environmental politics, ecological economics and the sociological analysis of social movements. It seeks to help bridge the research gap regarding non-state actors' (NSAs) influence on the role of the nation-state and the United Nations in global political ecology and environmental policy, including emission reductions, such as antideforestation measures, and environmental justice. We consider NSAs as consisting of two heterogeneous global coalitions: a) civil society organizations (CSOs) and environmental non-governmental organizations, and b) peak corporate organizations with green economy objectives, here denominated green business organizations, representing transnational corporations (TNCs). After a review of prior studies, we present a version of an advocacy coalition framework; identify a timeline of changes in UN architecture and simplified NSA influence categories. We only begin to test very broad hypotheses on relative agency and to compare NSA narratives with UN documents. We show that the architecture of the UN has gradually shifted from favoring civil society to corporations. There is evidence that, in the late 1990s, in comparison with CSOs, TNCs increased their access to nation-states and UN agencies. The TNC narrative changed from a) denying climate change and ignoring the UN to b) recognizing change and guiding negotiations. These shifts in UN architecture, TNC agency and narrative appears to have influenced changes in UN documents towards a corporate global environmental framework, reducing their references to the regulatory and enforcement roles of the state and global binding agreements, shifting global debate towards a voluntary corporate orientation. This may have reduced prospects for reducing emissions and increasing environmental justice. Combining market mechanisms with strong regulatory frameworks is best practice for environmental policy. When nation-states have the will and capacity to command and control, they can reduce environmental degradation. Stronger national government competence and enforcement capacity and binding UN agreements are essential for the effectiveness of market incentives, which may be enhanced by business and civil society initiatives. If CSOs can reunite and regain their strength, maybe they could negotiate with TNCs on a more equal footing. Perhaps UN members could once again become comfortable with the idea of strong states and non-hegemonic global governance. Key words: Global political ecology, Nation-state, earth system governance, UN architecture, UN agency, green economy, non-state actors, UNCED, Rio+20, Climate convention
ResumenMás allá de sus múltiples éxitos, el análisis de las alianzas verdes del Programa Piloto para la Protección de los Bosques Tropicales de Brasil (PPG7), así como de los conflictos presentes en su creación y ejecución, de los resultados alcanzados y de las circunstancias de su finalización, muestra que el PPG7 contribuyó poco a la conservación del bosque, al fortalecimiento institucional de la región amazónica y a su desarrollo sostenible. Esto debido a su concepción neoliberal y limitaciones institucionales. Aprisionado por el localismo, entre los riesgos y las oportunidades creadas por el agronegocio para la Amazonía, el PPG7 olvidó el papel destacado del Estado nacional en las regiones en desarrollo. Una eficaz cooperación internacional al ambiente requerirá de nuevos conceptos de efectividad, de una cooperación menos hegemónica y un fortalecimiento del movimiento por la sustentabilidad.Palabras clave: Estado nacional, cooperación internacional, gobernanza ambiental, Banco Mundial, sustentabilidad institucional. AbstractBeyond its many achievements, an analysis of the green alliances of the Pilot Program for the Protection of the Tropical Forests of Brazil (PPG7, Portuguese acronym), as well as the conflicts present in its creation and implementation, of the results achieved, and of the circumstances in which it came to an end, demonstrate that the PPG7 contributed little to the conservation of the forest, the institutional strengthening of the Amazon region, or its sustainable development. This is due to its neoliberal conception and institutional limitations. Trapped in the local, between risks and opportunities created by agribusiness in the Amazon, the PPG7 forgot the outstanding role of the national state in developing regions. Effective international cooperation on the environment will require new concepts of effectiveness, cooperation that is less top-down, and strengthening of the sustainability movement.
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