The Shadow of History in Inter-Organizational Cooperation for the Environment

Why do international organizations (IOs) adopt different arrangements for cooperation? Drawing on the theory of institutional context and the rational theory of international design, I argue that a prior thick institution between IOs, which involves the adjustment of organizational mandates and/or a...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inThe journal of environment & development Vol. 31; no. 4; pp. 352 - 374
Main Author Uji, Azusa
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.12.2022
SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
Subjects
Centralization
Cooperation
Decentralization
Empirical analysis
Environmental law
International cooperation
International law
International organizations
Mercury
Uncertainty
sustainable development
Minamata convention
International organization
institutional design
institutional context
environmental treaty
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:Why do international organizations (IOs) adopt different arrangements for cooperation? Drawing on the theory of institutional context and the rational theory of international design, I argue that a prior thick institution between IOs, which involves the adjustment of organizational mandates and/or activities, facilitates a decentralized arrangement for their current cooperation by fostering mutual expectations and reducing uncertainty. If the prior institution merely assumes direct combinations of resources and expertise, a centralized arrangement is needed to reduce uncertainty regarding the counterpart IO’s cooperative motive. With archival analysis and extensive interviews with IO staff members, this argument is tested against two empirical cases of inter-organizational cooperation undertaken by the United Nations Environment Program under the Minamata Convention on Mercury. The in-depth analysis reveals how IOs cope with demands and obstacles for inter-organizational cooperation on the ground, which has been largely unexplored in the literature.
ISSN:1070-4965
1552-5465
DOI:10.1177/10704965221115625