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Invasive alien species are a major driver of global environmental change. Escalating globalization processes such as international trade and long-distance transport have contributed to an increase in the ecological, economic, and sociocultural impacts of biological invasions. As a result, their management has become an increasingly relevant topic on environmental policy agendas. To better understand the role of policy in invasion science and to identify trends and gaps in policy-oriented research, a systematic literature review was conducted covering 2135 publications. The results highlight that international policy instruments are contributing to an increased interest in pursuing policy-oriented research. Specifically, key historical periods in policy development (e.g., the Convention on Biological Diversity’s COP10 in 2010) coincide with periods of active policy-focused research in invasion science. Research is, however, more applied to local scales (i.e., subnational, and national) and is more focused in places with high research capacity or where severe environmental or economic impacts are well documented.

This chapter examines ecoviolence and environmental crimes that harm the ocean and other aquatic environments. It specifically describes the environmental cost of the fishmeal reduction industry, links between human exploitation and illegal fishery operations, and the human security impact of illegal fisheries off the west coast of Africa.

This concluding chapter covers various approaches to the fight against transnational ecoviolence and environmental crime, including state and market-based approaches, militarized responses, the protection of environmental activists, intelligence-led policing and high tech, international multilateralism, INTERPOL, international courts, and earth jurisprudence. While there are no easy answers to the many challenges posed by transnational ecoviolence, many of these approaches offer hope if they can be applied with human security and environmental justice firmly in mind.

In this chapter we examine the rising phenomenon of climate crimes, from small fraud over carbon offsets to large-scale unreported emissions and efforts to mislead the public over the impacts and causes of climate change itself. The chapter also features a discussion of climate justice and its implications, examines the threat of “climate colonialism” and related issues in the transition to a post-carbon economy, and offers a syncretic case study of the disastrous Australian wildfires of 2019.

In this chapter, we explore the transnationalization of the illegal wildlife trade (IWT), examining how such crimes engender ecoviolence and harm on a global scale. Case studies present a more nuanced picture of the IWT. A sound understanding of the political economy of IWT aids our theorization of this crime from both the environmental justice and human security perspectives, which are in turn are theoretically and pragmatically adept at identifying the drivers, pressures, sources, and impacts of IWT, opening new vistas of green criminological inquiry.

In this chapter, we explore forest, timber, and plant crime as acts of transnational ecoviolence against both the environment and the communities that rely on these resources for their very existence. While there has been a lucrative market in transplanted wild flora for many centuries, it was often associated with the spoils of military conquest. Today, floral and timber-related ecoviolence is one of the more pronounced environmental problems we face, and we utilize case studies to demonstrate the intricacies of the political economy and human security issues related to this form of organized crime. Floral crime can lead to extinction and ensnares local communities in criminal economic activity; illegal deforestation can destroy ecosystems and carbon sinks. But much of the violence associated with vegetation is related to land grabs and other forms of land use change to produce food products for external markets; we use a case study of the increasingly violent avocado export industry in Mexico as an example.

This Introductory chapter covers the employment of the terms violence and ecoviolence in the book and introduces a framework based on environmental justice and human security to analyze transnational ecoviolence.

This chapter examines the phenomenon of the international hazardous waste trade, and suggests that toxic waste spills resulting from resource extraction in southern hemispheric countries should be considered part of the informal transnational crime nexus as well. The threats to human security and environmental justice are numerous and long-lasting.

Marine microplastic pollution is increasingly seen as a transboundary problem that requires priority attention and represents a unique governance challenge, given the associated risks and ubiquity of microplastics in the marine environment. Various governance measures to reduce the use of microplastics and to prevent further pollution of the marine environment have been adopted or are under consideration by actors at different levels of governance. This chapter reviews these governance measures and we argue that the primary concern of regulators should be to prevent both primary and secondary microplastic leakage into the marine ecosystems. We proceed with the further assumption that most microplastic enters marine ecosystems from land-based sources, so policies designed to curtail this particular form of plastic pollution are given due emphasis in this chapter. The prevention of microplastic pollution in the oceans is inherently complex, and this chapter examines the governance framework on the global, regional, national, and subnational levels. Both international collaboration and complimentary governance by non-state actors are important in order to effectively prevent microplastic pollution entering the oceans. Evidence from the examples analyzed throughout the chapter confirms that a comprehensive, systems-level approach, including a combination of diverse prevention measures and the involvement of a wide range of actors, is necessary.

Marine plastic debris has evolved from being a problem to a cross-cutting crisis impacting natural and human environments across the world. Holistic approaches are needed to address the multifaceted, wide-spread and complex nature of this issue. We argue that a new global governance approach is essential, however, it needs to be aligned with interdisciplinary solutions – sound science and data collection; changes to behavioural psychology; utilising education as a tool; and through changes to management and policy processes. We argue that truly effective prevention is a long-term process that must begin at the ground level with smarter consumer choices, industrial consciousness and responsibility, and an overarching local to global governance framework.

Canada has played a key leadership role in global environmental governance during specific periods since 1968, but has frequently faded from view or reversed direction as economic competiveness rem...

Transnational environmental crime has become the largest financial driver of social conflict, with severe implications for peace and security. Sustainable-development frameworks need to overtly recognize and mitigate the risks posed by transnational environmental crime to environmental security.

Among the plethora of marine ecosystem challenges of this century, two have received increasing attention in recent years. One of these challenges, the primary subject of this book, is climate change. Another challenge is that of plastic. Marine plastic pollution can be subdivided into three basic categories: (1) macroplastics, including debris such as fishing nets, large pieces of Styrofoam, and parcels that have been lost or discarded from cargo ships; (2) microplastics, which comprise particles under 5 mm in diameter that remain when plastic objects, including plastic nurdles (which are used in various production processes), enter the sea and phytodegrade; and (3) nanoplastics, the end state of microplastic degradation, which are invisible to the naked eye and, because they are so small (1,000 times smaller than an algal cell)), are more likely than microplastics to pass through biological membranes. All of these categories of plastics are regrettable intrusions on natural ecosystems, but the latter are particularly worrisome for those concerned with environmental change. In this chapter, we argue that all types of plastic pollution are also troublesome irritants for those concerned specifically with climate governance. The links between plastic debris, which is reshaping ocean ecology, and the broader threat of climate change are rarely explored. Our analysis suggests that there are several interlinked variables and relevant ethical and policy-related considerations. In particular, the climate change and the microplastics narratives – discovery, scientific advances, technological and policy innovations – need to come together if we are to make solid progress in response to both of these wicked problems. We develop three primary ideas in this chapter. First, there are clear links between the oceans and climate change agenda and the marine debris agenda. Microplastics especially are contributing to the climate change problem and vice versa (Royer et al., 2018). Second, there are intriguing governance parallels between the two problems, such as existential threat responses, shared but differentiated responsibilities, and common heritage issues. The most pronounced intersection is at the level of ecological justice. Third, we argue that climate change governance should take the microplastics plague into account. Similarly, those dealing with plastic debris have no choice but to take climate change into serious consideration. In the remainder of this chapter we discuss why plastic debris should be a topic of grave concern to the climate change mitigation and adaptation community, and we show why it is a vital issue for environmental governance and ecological justice. We explore similarities between these two mega-issues from policy and justice perspectives, looking especially at human impacts and concerns about shared governance. We examine international legal principles that can be applied to both issues, including common heritage, shared but differentiated responsibilities, and the precautionary principle. Finally, we take a pragmatic look at what can be done to integrate these twin issues as part of wider efforts to achieve effective ocean governance amidst climate change.

The Trump administration has certainly marked a radical departure in some (though not all) of the policy orientations familiar to observers of the U.S.–Canada relationship. An increasingly important question, then, is whether this relationship, on the whole cordial if viewed from within the limited prism of government-to-government relations, will become increasingly strained as climate change takes a greater physical, financial, and emotional toll on the continent. Is the unique relationship as resilient as preceding decades of cooperation and collaboration would suggest, or is its fragility gradually increasing as we become more aware of, and yet proceed to take limited steps to mitigate, the impact of climate change? Looking beyond the currently heated Ottawa–Washington dynamic, most of the policy collaboration shared by the two countries has been taking shape at the subnational level, especially in fields related to biodiversity conservation, migratory species, resource sharing, water management, and other areas. Even these relationships will be tested by the waters to come.

The prediction of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) and the avoidance of their tremendous social and economic costs is contingent on the identification of their most likely drivers. It is argued that the drivers of global environmental change (and climate change as both a driver and an impact) are often the drivers of EIDs; and that the two overlap to such a strong degree that targeting these drivers is sound epidemiological policy. Several drivers overlap with the leading causes of biodiversity loss, providing opportunities for health and biodiversity sectors to generate synergies at local and global levels. This chapter provides a primer on EID ecology, reviews underlying drivers and mechanisms that facilitate pathogen spillover and spread, provides suggested policy and practice-based actions toward the prevention of EIDs in the context of environmental change, and identifies knowledge gaps for the purpose of further research.

In September 2015, the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda, a transformative plan of action for people, planet, and prosperity containing seventeen Sustainable Development Goals. To inform and animate the negotiations, the UN launched an ambitious series of consultations, involving inter alia governments, civil society, business, knowledge-based institutions, and citizens. This article contributes to the debate on democracy and global governance, drawing on democratic theory and the lessons of the elite donor-driven process that led to the Millennium Development Goals. It argues that, in the age of globalization, citizen participation is vital for the effectiveness and legitimacy of global governance. It then assesses the nature and extent of such participation in three UN 2030 Agenda consultation channels: the High-Level Panel, the national consultations, and the MY World citizen survey. The latter, in particular, exceeded the expectations of stakeholder democracy and ventured into a more direct parti...

Comment article. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Global Assessment, released in 2019, identified invasive alien species, those introduced by humans into regions beyond their natural distributions, as one of the five top direct drivers of biodiversity loss. Although many cases exist of positive adaptations to the introduction of invasive alien species, they are generally regarded as a severe threat to local ecosystems, wildlife, and human health and overall wellbeing. Once established, efforts to eradicate invasive alien species can raise both public health and ethical concerns because of the unintended effects that control measures can have on the environment and human livelihoods (eg, chemical control and biocontrol agents).

This special issue represents an assessment of international organizations and transboundary networks governing natural resource and biodiversity issues in and among Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The management of natural resources and protection of biodiversity is a highly technocratic process requiring collaboration and information sharing among a diversity of actors to facilitate the development and coordination of policy addressing complex and multisectoral issues. Numerous bilateral and trilateral organizations exist to ostensibly facilitate transboundary governance, yet the scholarly knowledge of their respective roles has many gaps. In this introductory article, we propose a typology of international environmental organizations based on two dimensions: (1) whether their activities center primarily on capacity building or regulation, and (2) the extent to which they exemplify the “bureaucratic” or “post-bureaucratic” model of governance. Using this typology we provide an overview of the special issue's contributions in terms of their assessment of North American bilateral and trilateral environmental organizations and transboundary networks.

Stoett begins with an overview of some of the major threats to marine ecology, particularly to oceans and coasts, in the North American context. His contribution introduces different key policy questions that observers and analysts should strive to answer as North America moves forward. He states that an awareness of how decisions are made and implemented is a key element in any case study related to oceans policy before any bilateral or trilateral policy collaboration, convergence, or divergence can take place. He goes on to make specific questions about how policy is developed and whether the policy is science-driven or politically (or, even, ideologically) determined. Stoett concludes his contribution exploring some nascent areas of trilateral cooperation.

The first decade and a half of the 21st century has not been kind to Canada's reputation in the realm of international relations. This is the result of policy decisions that have alienated the country, as exemplified by the country's policy-making in two domains in which Canada had previously earned respect as a global leader hitting above its weight: international environmental protection and international justice. In this commentary, we argue that Canada's foreign policy in these two areas derive from a common reactive and dogmatic policy-making which is, despite its name, actually aimed at appeasing domestic audiences.

This article introduces the complexities of framing the policy debate over invasive alien species or, more generally, bioinvasion. It suggests that there are six principal framing conceptualizations that have emerged or are gaining steam and credence: biodiversity and conservation; climate change and globalization; human security; “natural national security”; market failure; and the commons and global governance. Although the biodiversity approach dominates the international discourse at present, it presents a partial and hence distorting picture. Over time, as the problem of bioinvasion compounds, the inadequacy of the biodiversity frame will become generally apparent and so the other framings will gain in currency. Ultimately, bioinvasion must be viewed as a policy challenge for global environmental governance and justice. The author concludes by raising the limited possibility of developing an International Convention on Invasive Alien Species.

This article begins by defining the problem of invasive alien species, then moves to a discussion of some of the conceptual implications of treating bioinvasion as a serious topic in both environmental and global ecopolitics, such as the encouragement of parochial thinking and the reliance on an outdated ecological paradigm that assumes the desirability of natural equilibrium. Both these problems are overcome by the human security imperative of protecting civilians from the most harmful effects of bioinvasion, but they should indeed temper the zeal with which prevention/eradication campaigns are adopted. The third section explicitly visits some of the more concrete governance problems raised at the international but, arguably, all levels of governance. These include the division of labour and authority, the question of blame and compensation, the need for sustained public attention on the issue and the integration of the natural and social/policy sciences, and the omnipresent uncertainties associ...

1Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Concordia University, Montreal. The author is grateful to the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada for related funding. An earlier version of this paper was presented to the International Studies Association Annual Meeting of 2003 in Portland, Oregon.