The number of climate change laws in major economies has grown from less than 40 in 1997 to almost 500 at the end of 2013. The passage of these laws is influenced by both domestic and international factors. This article reviews the main international factors, drawing on a powerful new dataset of climate legislation in 66 national jurisdictions. We find that the propensity to legislate on climate change is heavily influenced by the passage of similar laws elsewhere, suggesting a strong and so far under-appreciated role for international policy diffusion. International treaties such as the Kyoto Protocol work in two ways. The impact of the Kyoto Protocol itself is limited to countries with formal obligations under the treaty. In addition, the prestige of hosting an international climate summit is associated with a subsequent boost in legislation. Legislators seem to respond to the expectations of climate leadership that these events bestow on their host.
Policy relevance
A global solution to climate change will ultimately have to be anchored in domestic legislation, which creates the legal basis for countries to take action. Countries are passing climate legislation in a growing number. This article asks to what extent they are motivated to do so by international factors, such as existing treaty obligations. We find that the Kyoto Protocol has been a less important factor in explaining climate legislation outside Annex I than the passage of similar laws elsewhere. This suggests that international policy diffusion plays an important and so far under-appreciated role in global climate policy, complementing formal treaty obligations. 相似文献
全新世的气候、环境变化与人类文明发展之间的关系一直是学术界研究的热点问题。长江下游地区崧泽文化时期(6 000—5 300 a B. P.)是文明起源的关键阶段,该时期稻作农业经济社会是否已建立及其影响机制依然不清楚。通过对常州地区青城墩遗址的植物大遗存研究,在24份浮选样品中共发现了131粒炭化水稻(Oryza sativa)种子和2 262粒炭化水稻基盘,该结果表明青城墩遗址先民在崧泽文化时期的农业是以种植水稻为主的稻作农业。结合前人研究工作发现,长江下游地区崧泽文化时期人类主要的生业经济是以种植水稻为主的稻作农业经济,辅之以采集葫芦(Lagenaria siceraria)、芡实(Euryale ferox)、桃(Prunus persica)、甜瓜(Cucumis melo)等野生植物资源为主的采集经济。7 000 a B. P.后海平面上升速率减缓和海岸线的东撤为开展水稻农业生产的古人类提供了大量的栖居环境,该时期相对温暖湿润的气候条件为水稻农业生产提供了良好的生境条件。6 000 a B. P.后的人口压力是长江下游地区古人类选择以稳定和高产的稻作农业为主体生业经济的原因。 相似文献