Fifteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

It is an observed fact that states participate differentially in International Environmental Agreements (IEAs). This non-uniformity can be in terms of the number of IEAs or the type of IEAs ratified by the state. What factors can account for this differential level of state participation in IEAs? In an attempt to arrive at some potential answers to the above question, this research develops the Sustainability Capital Framework (SCF) for IEC, as proxied through an analysis of state participation in IEAs. The SCF integrates both domestic state conditions and systemic factors within the national and international realm. The SCF is premised, first, on the concept of sustainability capital and thereafter, on the foundational framework for sustainability to be realized. Adopting a strategic management approach, the SCF frames IEC in terms of the drivers, barriers, critical success factors (CSFs), and incentives for IEC. In terms of the CSFs, this research argues that for the drivers and incentives to work effectively to overcome the barriers and enhance the capabilities of states to adopt IEAs, there are certain key conditions that must be met. These CSFs can be thought of as the foundation upon which our strategies and policies can bear fruit, and without which there can be no great aspiration for success. Focusing on the CSFs allows us to develop transformative policies rather than mere adaptive ones. This research discusses six core CSFs.