IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/ieaple/v23y2023i3d10.1007_s10784-023-09593-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Unanimity or standing aside? Reinterpreting consensus in United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations

Author

Listed:
  • Katharina Rietig

    (Newcastle University)

  • Christine Peringer

    (Mediators Beyond Borders International)

  • Sarina Theys

    (The University of the South Pacific)

  • Jecel Censoro

    (Newcastle University)

Abstract

What is the meaning of ‘consensus’ within and beyond the UNFCCC? What alternative interpretations of consensus are available based on consensus facilitation practice and related literature? This article assesses the mismatch between how the UNFCCC interprets consensus and its broader interpretation in the facilitation practice literature, and proposes a way forward using the concept of ‘standing aside’ more prominently. The restrictive consensus interpretation has far-reaching implications for the ability of the world’s central climate regime to be fit for purpose, i.e., facilitating multilateral climate action. The analysis of consensus in the UNFCCC points to the central problems of unpredictability and ambiguity in the determination that consensus exists. Many negotiators and chairs acknowledge the problem of predominantly interpreting consensus as unanimity and have subsequently sought ways to address the damage it does through ad hoc rulings that consensus exists sometimes by ignoring the expressions of objection; however, this comes at the expense of a good predictable process.

Suggested Citation

  • Katharina Rietig & Christine Peringer & Sarina Theys & Jecel Censoro, 2023. "Unanimity or standing aside? Reinterpreting consensus in United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 221-234, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ieaple:v:23:y:2023:i:3:d:10.1007_s10784-023-09593-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s10784-023-09593-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10784-023-09593-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10784-023-09593-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Paula Castro, 2020. "Past and future of burden sharing in the climate regime: positions and ambition from a top-down to a bottom-up governance system," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 41-60, March.
    2. Katharina Michaelowa & Axel Michaelowa, 2012. "Negotiating climate change," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(5), pages 527-533, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Detlef F. Sprinz & Bruce Bueno de Mesquita & Steffen Kallbekken & Frans Stokman & Håkon Sælen & Robert Thomson, 2016. "Predicting Paris: Multi-Method Approaches to Forecast the Outcomes of Global Climate Negotiations," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 4(3), pages 172-187.
    2. Issaka Sule Ayannor, 2021. "Setbacks to the Implementation of the Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions: Case Studies of the Namas of Ethiopia, Georgia and Indonesia," Quaestiones Geographicae, Sciendo, vol. 40(3), pages 33-44, September.
    3. Jan Beyers & Marcel Hanegraaff, 2017. "Balancing friends and foes: Explaining advocacy styles at global diplomatic conferences," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 461-484, September.
    4. Betz, Joachim, 2013. "The Reform of China's Energy Policies," GIGA Working Papers 216, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
    5. Joanna Depledge, 2022. "The “top-down” Kyoto Protocol? Exploring caricature and misrepresentation in literature on global climate change governance," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 673-692, December.
    6. Maria Csutora & Zs�fia Vetőn� m�zner, 2014. "Proposing a beneficiary-based shared responsibility approach for calculating national carbon accounts during the post-Kyoto era," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(5), pages 599-616, September.
    7. Wen-Chi Yang & Wen-Min Lu & Alagu Perumal Ramasamy, 2021. "International Environmental Efficiency Trends and the Impact of the Paris Agreement," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-16, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:ieaple:v:23:y:2023:i:3:d:10.1007_s10784-023-09593-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.