Book Reviews
Dryzek, John S., and Jonathan Pickering. 2019. The Politics of the Anthropocene. Oxford,
UK: Oxford University Press.
Reviewed by Conrad George
Pompeu Fabra University
Scientific evidence indicates that we have entered a new geological epoch, termed
the Anthropocene, in which human activities have become a significant geological
force. How do we confront this new reality where our relationship with our
biophysical environment has changed so significantly? On what basis do we
determine how to respond? In The Politics of the Anthropocene, Dryzek and Pickering
argue that rather than engaging with these critical questions, the core institutions
of our society (like markets and states) instead severely constrain our ability to
identify and then answer them.
The authors argue that a “pathological path dependency” in our institutions
systematically represses information on the Earth system to prioritize a narrow set
of economic objectives. They attribute these behaviors to the critical importance of
economic growth to these institutions and their origination in a time when our
impact on the Earth system was significantly smaller. To address this problem,
the authors propose the notion of “ecological reflexivity.” This concept builds
off the established idea of reflexivity and involves confronting the core commit-
ments of our society and changing the response where necessary (Beck et al.
1994). Dryzek and Pickering extend this idea to include the Earth system, so the
reflexivity would be of social-ecological systems (the human and nonhuman
mondo), rather than just social systems. Ecological reflexivity, as they outline it,
involves a cyclical process of recognizing changes in social-ecological systems;
reflecting on the changes occurring and rethinking core values; and then
responding to these changes by rearticulating core aims, discourses, and values
and reconfiguring practices.
Dryzek and Pickering demonstrate how ecological reflexivity could be
applied. They first illustrate how it can shape the way that we understand values
in society. Per esempio, “sustainability” can reflect the dynamic nature of the Earth
system in the Anthropocene and our role in these changes, rather than serving as a
static view of conserving ecological conditions when those conditions may no
longer be attainable. In examining how ecological reflexivity could then be imple-
mented, Dryzek and Pickering focus on what they term the “formative sphere,"
rather than on institutions. This “formative sphere” is a theoretical domain in
which ideas, principles, and values are generated and developed. It operates across,
separate from, and potentially within existing institutional configurations, Ma
Global Environmental Politics 20:3, agosto 2020
© 2020 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
118
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Conrad George
(cid:129) 119
while it may ultimately inform the collective decision-making of institutions, it is
always outside of and preceding these processes. Dryzek and Pickering argue that
“formative agents,” which include a broad collection of individuals, groups, E
other entities (including norm/discourse entrepreneurs, scientists, and other ex-
perts), operate within this sphere, with the potential to create and shape values.
Deliberation is essential as formative agents interact with each other and also with
citizens, who play a central role in creating and establishing new meanings and
values. In outlining ecological reflexivity, while not directly addressing the source
of path dependency in institutions, Dryzek and Pickering nonetheless lead us back
to the possibility that such reflexivity can indirectly inform the decision-making of
our institutions and societies.
The Politics of the Anthropocene is built on strong theoretical foundations,
leveraging a range of insights from the authors’ earlier studies (including Dryzek
2000, 2015). It effectively connects these works to provide a comprehensive frame-
work for exploring how deliberative processes can contribute to an understanding
of and response to the challenges of the Anthropocene. In this way they identify
the role of deliberation as part of a broader process aimed at rethinking core
meanings, principles, and values in the Anthropocene, rather than as being limited
to seeking views on already well understood issues.
The decision to explore ecological reflexivity outside of institutions, E
without focusing on the sources and impacts of path dependency, creates an open
theoretical frame. Tuttavia, it misses an opportunity to understand the form,
extent, and impact of the path dependency in institutions that the authors argue
systematically represses information on the changing Earth system and a response
to it. While analysis of this type may require detailed empirical work, it could
examine whether the ecological reflexivity of the formative sphere can be
embedded as a core priority in institutions, as the authors argue, or if path depen-
dency would ultimately preclude it. More fundamentally, empirical analysis may
indicate whether ecological reflexivity is practically possible or the extent to which
the ideas and structures that create path dependency in institutions extend to
society as a whole and thus similarly restrict the formative sphere. Per esempio,
to what degree are the discourses, knowledge, norms, and/or science the authors
describe in the formative sphere also inherently constrained by the path depen-
dency of institutions? It may be that the formative agents that are expected to
provide a source of reflexivity actually constitute a continuing source of constraint,
whether in the formative sphere or not.
Dryzek and Pickering conceptualize the Anthropocene as not simply a
multiplication of environmental challenges, but rather as a more fundamental
issue of political economy in a world where human activity is altering the Earth
system. Ecological reflexivity provides an important mechanism to call attention
to this reality and identify a path by which society can engage with it and
determine on an informed basis how to respond. Whether we can or will grasp
this opportunity, and then how we might decide to respond, is another issue.
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120 (cid:129) Book Reviews
Riferimenti
Beck, Ulrich, Anthony Giddens, and Scott Lash. 1994. Reflexive Modernization: Politics,
Tradition and Aesthetics in the Modern Social Order. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.
Dryzek, John S. 2000. Deliberative Democracy and Beyond: Liberals, Critics, Contestations.
Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Dryzek, John S. 2015. Democratic Agents of Justice. Journal of Political Theory 23 (4):
361–384.
Harris, Paul G., editor. 2019. Climate Change and Ocean Governance: Politics and Policy for
Threatened Seas. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Reviewed by Elizabeth Nyman
Texas A&M University at Galveston
The goal of this ambitious edited volume is to “explore and understand possibil-
ities for ocean governance amidst climate change” (3, emphasis original). Given the
vital function that the oceans play in mitigating and reducing the impact of climate
change, along with the relative lack of attention given to this role in mainstream
discussions of climate change, this volume is both timely and of great interest. IL
structure and organization of the book are such that there is something valuable to
all scholars who work in the areas of either climate change or ocean governance,
while still being approachable for those relatively new to the field.
The introductory section consists of two chapters: Paul Harris’ overall
approach to assembling the volume and Elizabeth Mendenhall’s discussion of
overarching issues that underlie all chapters, namely, a history of ocean governance
and various international maritime treaties such as the United Nations Convention
on the Law of the Sea. Many of the chapters that follow refer to these ideas, E
Mendenhall’s chapter skillfully weaves everything together for those new to the
topic.
Following this introductory material are six case studies on islands and
coasts and the particular problems faced in these areas by climate change. IL
value of these case studies is undeniable, given that the very breadth of cases (from
the Caribbean to the Middle East to the coasts of Asia) is certain to contain new
information for any scholar seeking to understand global impacts of sea level rise
and coastal development. They also work as a cohesive note to begin the volume,
as the case studies are generally independent from each other in a way that works
naturally. Tuttavia, the case study choices do not feel deliberate in any meaningful
modo. This is not to say that regions of focus were chosen poorly, just that there is a
lack of justification for why these six cases were deemed the most relevant.
This is important to note because later in the volume are three chapters on the
polar seas (and a fourth on the Arctic Ocean in a different section). These would
seem to logically fit in well with the previous case studies, providing a more in-
depth examination of one particular region. (There are drawbacks to considering
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Thomas Hickmann
(cid:129) 121
the Arctic and the Antarctic as a single region, but given the goals of this particular
book, grouping them together is a logical choice.) Instead of transitioning from the
case studies to the section on the polar seas, Tuttavia, the book instead transitions
to a section on fishing that consequently feels out of place. Overall, this is more of a
missed opportunity than an organizational flaw, but it is one that could have
helped to strengthen the case studies, both polar and otherwise, as a narrative.
The case studies are only half of the volume, Tuttavia. In the latter half of the
book, Harris brings together various chapters on nearly every element of ocean
governance investigated by modern scholars. There are considerations of interna-
tional law focusing on whether the current maritime treaties are sufficient to the
challenge of ocean governance in a world with climate change and examining to
what extent they align with the separate climate change regime in international
law. Ori Sharon’s contribution on the rights of low-lying small island states given
the existential threat of sea level rise is of particular note here, as international law
remains unclear what happens to state rights once the state is underwater and thus
lacks statehood.
The second half of the book also includes discussion of a number of issue
areas predicted to become highly important in the near future. These include
marine shipping, ocean energy, and coral reef degradation, among others. IL
problem of marine plastic pollution, Per esempio, is well known, but Peter Stoett
and Joanna Vince take an approach to the issue focused on climate change. They
point out that marine plastic pollution is not only a problem for the marine
environment but also may interfere with the oceans’ ability to absorb CO2, E
that both plastics and climate change problems ultimately stem from the use of
fossil fuels. This climate change–centric approach provides a good overview of
both the nature of the problem and the difficulties in finding solutions.
Overall, this book provides a good overview of the current state of research
into the intersection of ocean governance and climate change and makes an
important contribution to the literature on the topic. The case studies are relevant,
providing examples that showcase various problems. Likewise, the combined
approaches of law and policy make for an excellent interdisciplinary read, E
the particular issues explored are all highly relevant and of current interest.
van der Ven, Hamish. 2019. Beyond Greenwash? Explaining Credibility in Transnational
Eco-Labeling. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Reviewed by Thomas Hickmann
Utrecht University, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development
Eco-labels have flourished over the past few years and today seem to be ubiqui-
tous. We encounter them not only in groceries, supermarkets, and warehouses but
also in catalogs of shipping cruises and advertisements for offsetting carbon emis-
sions from flights or other environmentally harmful practices. Such labels promise
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122 (cid:129) Book Reviews
that the offered bananas, coffee, or other goods and services meet a certain envi-
ronmental standard or are in line with a given code of conduct. In Beyond Green-
wash? Explaining Credibility in Transnational Eco-Labeling, Hamish van der Ven
begins from his curiosity (which is nicely described in the acknowledgments)
about whether the various existing labels really mean anything—a highly relevant
concern in times of pressing sustainability challenges and raising awareness
among consumers about the environmental impacts of their purchasing decisions.
The landscape of eco-labels is certainly full of greenwashing exercises, and van
der Ven’s book takes these practices into account. Numerous companies have recently
been confronted with accusations of greenwashing, which basically connotes that
corporate claims to build on eco-friendly modes of production or service delivery
are misleading or simply false. Yet, other companies obviously put considerable
efforts into enhancing their sustainable behavior and also set standards for managing
the environmental impact of supplier firms, potentially leading to a change of global
value chains down to local producers. There is thus a large variation between the cred-
ibility of prevailing eco-labels, O, as van der Ven puts it, “credible efforts to address
environmental problems often exist alongside superficial greenwash, and the two are
frequently indistinguishable to casual observers” (3).
Assessing the credibility of different eco-labels across policy domains is an
important endeavor, and van der Ven’s book takes up this challenge. A tal fine, he
does not—as could perhaps be expected—look at the compliance of companies with
particular eco-label standards but evaluates the adherence of eco-labeling organiza-
tions to so-called best practice guidelines. Such best practice guidelines are formulated
by international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and associations of
eco-labeling organizations and entail various principles of good conduct related, inter
alia, to accountability, inclusiveness, and transparency. Van der Ven argues that some
eco-labeling organizations comply with best practice guidelines, while others fail to do
so, which is why he treats these guidelines as “a reasonable proxy for the overall
sincerity of an [eco-labeling organization’s] governance efforts” (17).
Based on these considerations, the key research question raised in the book is,
“[W]hy do some transnational [eco-labeling organizations] follow established best
practices more closely than others?" (3, italics original). Van der Ven situates his study
in the literature on transnational governance. He understands eco-labeling as a
prime example of transnational new governance since it involves quasi-authoritative
rules, which are applied and spread by mostly private actors beyond national
borders and jurisdictions. Owing to the absence of a centralized authority and
oversight within this governance sphere, free-riding is a common and frequent
practice. This framing underlines the relevance of van der Ven’s two research goals,
questo è, first to distinguish between credible and noncredible eco-labels and second
to explain why some eco-labeling organizations are more reliable, others less so.
Building on an original database of 123 transnational eco-labeling organiza-
tions and a comprehensive theoretical framework to assess the credibility of
different labels in two case studies, van der Ven draws one central conclusion.
He contends that eco-labeling organizations with a larger transnational presence
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Thomas Hickmann
(cid:129) 123
are generally more likely to adhere to best practice guidelines and hence possess
more procedural credibility than those with a smaller coverage and narrower
ambitions. In other words, those eco-labeling organizations “that aim big by
attempting to certify a large proportion of a relevant global market are driven to
closely follow best practices out of concern for both material consequences and
demonstrating appropriate behavior” (155).
With this argument, van der Ven aims to provide a novel explanation for the
variance in the credibility of eco-labels. While most existing studies point to agency
and hold that it is most important who governs and sets standards in what context (per esempio.,
governments, industry associations, certification entities, or nongovernmental orga-
nizations), his book highlights that who is being governed by private norms and rules
also matters. Based on his empirical findings, van der Ven draws the wider conclusion
that scholars concerned with transnational relations should devote more attention to
“the targets of governance and not simply the owners or sponsors of governance” (161,
italics original). This novel perspective is a major strength of the book.
While van der Ven’s conclusions are generally convincing, he does not elab-
orate in enough detail about how his findings speak to existing scholarship
beyond his own theoretical and conceptual approach. Relatedly, the book remains
relatively vague on the question of what exactly the empirical results add to the
wider literature on transnational governance. The findings presented in the book
do not challenge or question central assumptions of established accounts but rather
refine and complement previous knowledge. The claim made on the book’s cover
that the analysis upends conventional wisdom seems to be slightly exaggerated.
Nonetheless, Beyond Greenwash? gives some nuance to a vibrant field and offers
a great read for students and practitioners interested in the potential and limits of
transnational governance. All in all, the book constitutes a rigorous and painstaking
investigation of the credibility behind eco-labels with several illustrative examples
that bring more clarity to an unwieldy and rapidly changing research landscape.
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