What’s Innovative About International Environmental Governance?

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Massive intergovernmental institutions like the United Nations might not be the first groups that come to mind as paragons of environmental innovation. However, the world of international policy has yielded an impressive amount of environmental progress over the last few decades. Learn more from global governance scholar Maria Ivanova (Ph.D.’06), as she discusses her new book “The Untold Story of the World’s Leading Environmental Institution: UNEP at 50” in conversation with Gus Speth, former Dean of the Yale School of the Environment and former Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme. 

UNEP at 50 book cover

Maria’s book offers a thoughtful account of the origin and evolution of the UN Environment Programme and how it continues to model global innovation 50 years after its founding. The conversation will cover the role of UNEP, as well as the other innovative approaches from the realm of international climate and environmental policy. With Maria's book as a jumping off point, the speakers will explore the broader question of how to best to achieve environmental objectives in a complex and interconnected global ecosystem.

Book link:  https://www.environmentalgovernance.org/untold-story

 

Speakers:

  • Maria Ivanova, Associate Professor of Global Governance and Graduate Program Director, Department of Conflict Resolution, Human Security, and Global Governance, McCormack Graduate School, UMass Boston.  
  • Gus Speth, former Dean of the Yale School of the Environment and former Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme

 

About the Climate Innovator Spotlight series: It's clear that the status quo won't suffice for dealing with climate change. Innovative solutions are imperative. Not just startups and new technologies—innovation across all sectors of society. The Climate Innovator Spotlight speaker series highlights innovators working to address the climate crisis through policy, technology, finance, and more. By giving these leaders a chance to share their stories, the series will explore how different forms of innovation handle the complexities of climate change and build resilient communities.