. . . this is a book to read for anybody who wants a good overview of ongoing research on environmental partnerships in public administration, business administration, political science and sociology. Thomas Sikor, Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences The profit of this book is the well-proportioned mixture of theoretical reflections . . . and empirical findings, mostly presented in the form of case studies. . . the volume offers a well-structured and recommendable account of the current state of governance and partnerships in the field of sustainable development. Thomas Krumm, Political Studies Review This well-structured volume brings together a group of leading experts on an important emerging topic of global and local environmental policy. The book is highly recommended for every student and scholar in the field of environmental governance. Martin Jänicke, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany Partnerships have emerged as a critical best practice in the pursuit of sustainability. Glasbergen, Biermann and Mol s book explores the partnership issue from a variety of empirical and theoretical perspectives highlighting how to understand them and what (not) to do. Highly recommended. Daniel C. Esty, Yale University, US This significant study discusses the emergence of partnerships for sustainable development as an innovative, and potentially influential, new type of governance. With contributions from leading experts in the field, the partnership paradigm is discussed and the contributors explore the process, extent and circumstances under which partnerships can improve the legitimacy and effectiveness of governance for sustainable development. Scientific research on partnerships within the context of governance theory is fairly new, and there is a clear need to systemize a knowledge base to further define the international research agenda. In addition, there is an urgent demand from governments and international organizations, as well as from non-governmental actors, for strategic insights to build upon their activities in this field. This book is designed to address the questions, debates and agendas related to this new mode of governance. This multi-disciplinary book brings together unique perspectives from organizational theory, policy science, sociology and political science. As such, it will be warmly welcomed by academics of environmental policy and politics as well as scholars and researchers interested in governance for sustainable development. It will also appeal to public policy scholars.

Partnerships for Sustainability in Contemporary Global Governance investigates the goals, ideals, and realities of sustainability partnerships and offers a theoretical framework to help disentangle the multiple and interrelated pathways that shape their effectiveness. Partnerships are ubiquitous in research and policy discussions about sustainability and are important governance instruments for the provision of public goods. While partnerships promise a great deal, there is little clarity as to what they deliver. If partnerships are to break free from this paradox, more nuance and rigor are required for understanding and assessing their actual effects. This volume applies its original framework to diverse empirical cases and could be extended both to broader data sets and case studies of partnerships. The dual contribution of this volume, theoretical and empirical, holds promise for a more thorough and innovative understanding of the pathways to partnership effectiveness and the conditions that can shape their performance. The broad range of case studies and cross-cutting analyses suggest important practical implications for the design of new partnerships and the updating of existing initiatives. This interdisciplinary book will be of great interest to researchers, students, and practitioners within international relations, political science, sociology, environmental studies and global studies, as well as the growing number of scholars in public policy, global health and organizational and business studies who are keen to gain a deeper understanding of the pathways and mechanisms that influence the outcomes and effectiveness of cross-sector collaboration and transnational governance more broadly.

Public–private partnerships (PPPs) play an increasingly prominent role in addressing global development challenges. United Nations agencies and other organizations are relying on PPPs to improve global health, facilitate access to scientific information, and encourage the diffusion of climate change technologies. For this reason, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development highlights their centrality in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the same time, the intellectual property dimensions and implications of these efforts remain under-examined. Through selective case studies, this illuminating work contributes to a better understanding of the relationships between PPPs and intellectual property considered within a global knowledge governance framework, that includes innovation, capacity-building, technological learning, and diffusion. Linking global governance of knowledge via intellectual property to the SDGs, this is the first book to chart the activities of PPPs at this important nexus.

Why are some transnational public-private partnerships (PPPs) highly effective, while others are not? The contributors compare 21 transnational PPPs that seek to provide collective goods in the field of sustainable development.

Transitioning to Strong Partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals is an edited volume dedicated to current developments regarding SDG 17 "Partnerships for the Goals". This goal contains preconditions and systemic issues that will facilitate the success of the SDGs in general. Thus, the volume covers conditions, structures, and means to strengthen the SDGs from both the theoretical and practical perspective. Transitioning to Strong Partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals has three main focal points: Theoretical approaches to sustainable partnerships, including public-private partnerships. Different structural aspects for sustainable partnerships, including financial deals with philanthropic initiatives and new financing models as well as new technologies to meet the logistical challenges of development aid. Systemic issues, especially institutional coherence, multi-stakeholder approaches, and challenges of statistics for development.

This book provides a detailed overview of governance for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Adopting a unique integrative approach, it examines the fragmentation of governance that is a critical barrier to achieving the SDGs. The main question addressed is: What are the crucial elements and the organizing logic of an integrative framework that is suitable for analysing governance for the SDGs and for implementing the transitions that we need towards a more sustainable world? This transdisciplinary book first proposes a combination of innovative governance theories that can improve the analysis and practice of sustainability governance. Secondly, it explores the interests of core actors in a number of case examples. And thirdly, it offers recommendations for improving the study and practice of sustainability governance. The findings presented form the basis for a new approach to governance towards objectives such as the SDGs: Integrative Sustainability Governance (ISG). The ensuing ISG framework includes indicator frames within the pillars of power, knowledge and norms. The book concludes that the transformation of crisis into sustainability transitions requires a deeper consideration of risk management that strengthens resilience; systems deliberation that complements democracy; and behavioral insights that elevate human awareness and collaboration. This handbook is a comprehensive and valuable companion for students, experts and practitioners with an interest in the SDGs.

Voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) and other private governance instruments (e.g., Fair Trade, Forest Stewardship Council, Fair Wear Foundation, GLOBALGAP) are increasingly regulating global production processes and economic activities. VSS verify the compliance of products or production processes with sustainability standards. The importance of voluntary sustainability standards is now widely recognized. After being operational for more than two decades, they have established themselves as private governance instruments. This recognition is also exemplified by their integration in public regulatory approaches. Governments and international organizations are partnering with voluntary sustainability standards to pursue sustainable development policies. We witness the integration of VSS in the regulatory approaches of local and national governments in countries around the world, the integration of VSS in trade policies, the emergence of public–private initiatives to govern global supply chains, and the inclusion of private initiatives in experimentalist governance regimes. This Special Issue seeks to bring together research on the interface between private and public governance. We welcome contributions which analyze specific case studies on the emergence and development of these private–public interactions, the design of public–private governance, the effectiveness of these governance arrangements, and critical perspectives on the possibilities and limitations of such public–private forms of governance. We welcome multi-disciplinary perspectives including contributions from economics, political science, law, sociology, geography, and anthropology. Papers selected for this Special Issue are subject to a peer review procedure with the aim of rapid and wide dissemination of research results, developments, and applications.

There has been rapid proliferation of public–private partnerships in areas of human rights, environmental protection and development in global governance. This book demonstrates how different forms of partnership legitimacy and accountability interact, and pinpoints trade-offs between democratic values in partnership operations.

This Special Issue of Sustainability on "Partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)" brings together a collection of articles that explore a diverse range of issues and challenges faced by partnership arrangements that seek to support the achievement of the SDGs and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As well as encompassing a diverse range of collaborative forms and themes, and involving a variety of stakeholders, these collaborative initiatives are all notably shaped by the dynamics of the particular contexts in which they operate. These contexts include individual, organizational, sectoral, spatial, and geographical settings. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on partnering for the SDGs is also apparent. The interplay between these elements offers a useful global-local context for further inquiry and reflection on how deeper and more meaningful collaborative relationships might be developed to achieve the SDG targets and beyond

This book analyses the recent emergence of transnational forms of environmental regulation within the larger conceptual context of global governance research and institutional theory. Increasingly, private policies at the transnational level complement, and in some cases even replace, public interventions. The author takes a deep and broad look at the phenomenon to account for both the emergence and the influence of private institutions in global governance and sustainability. Focusing on the empirical arenas of sustainable forestry and corporate environmental reporting and management, Philipp Pattberg examines why and how private forms of policy-making emerge at the transnational level and how their impacts can be analysed. The study makes a threefold contribution to current debates; firstly, it provides a novel theoretical perspective on the phenomenon of private governance in global sustainability politics. Secondly, it offers a fresh conceptualisation of global governance as a meta-theory in the social sciences. And finally, it provides detailed insights into the empirical landscape of private governance in the areas of global forestry and corporate environmental reporting. This book bridges disciplinary boundaries by providing a detailed account of recent developments in global business regulation as an important aspect of the current sustainability debate. As such it will appeal to a wide audience of both academics and researchers in the fields of environmental policy, public sector economics, international relations and global environmental and sustainability politics in particular. It will also be of interest to practitioners involved in private rule-making and sustainable development.