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6 ThePoliticsof (andBehind) theUNFCCC’sLoss… 169
6.4.2 Liberalism
Bystressing the role playedbypreferences, liberalspoint to their interdependence
as a determinant of bargaining outcomes. Some liberals ascribe particular impor-
tance to economic preferences in determining state behaviour. In the L&D case,
developed countries would be incentivised to support their vulnerable developing
counterparts so as to guarantee their viability as commercial partners or to safe-
guard their delocalised supply-chains. Global trade systems can indeed transmit a
variety of negative impacts, as exemplified by the billion dollar losses incurred by
theAmericancorporationIntel that resultedfromthecollapseof theThaielectronic
industry following flooding in 2011 (Struck 2011).Actually, this liberal argument
wasalsoemployedbyAOSISwhenitcalledonthe internationalcommunity tocon-
sider the“increasedinterdependenceofglobaleconomyandsociety”andtoaddress
“the cascading effects that climate change impacts in poor and vulnerable regions
cangloballyhave”as itwouldbe“cost-effective” (AOSIS2008). It isworthnoting,
however, that this argumentwas incidentallyusedbydevelopingcountries and that
they largelyapproached thedebate inethical and legal terms.
Whilemaking the case for increased international cooperation onL&D, liberal
theoryalsoallowsforhighlightingsomeofthe“hamperingfactors”thathaveaffected
developing countries inL&Dnegotiations. These are related to the liberal concep-
tualisation of power, which differs significantly from realist theory. According to
KehoaneandNye(1977),oneformofinternationalinfluencederivesfromthe“asym-
metric interdependence” of preferences among states. Themore interdependent a
state is and themore intense its preference for a given outcome, themore power
others potentially have over it (Moravcsik 2008). In other words, the salience an
actor attaches to an issue is inversely linked to its success at the negotiating table
as the actorwill bemorewilling tomake concessions to get the result (Schneider
2005).Moreover, salience is linked to the existence of an outside option: if a state
has alternatives to the negotiated agreement itwill exploit the circumstance to ask
forahigher“price”totakepart init.TranslatingthisreasoningtoL&Dnegotiations,
iteasytoseehowAOSIShasnegotiatedsincethebeginningfromadisadvantageous
position. By virtue of their extreme vulnerability and the existential threat posed
byclimatechange, small islandsstatescanonlyrelyonambitiousmitigationefforts
andsupportforadaptationandrehabilitationbydevelopedcountriestoaddressL&D.
Thishastwointertwinedimplications:(i)astheydonothavecontrolovertheissueat
stake (mostly in termsofmitigation), small islandstatescandonothingbutwait for
developedcountries toact; and (ii) nothavingbargainingpower, small islandstates
are forced toaccept a sub-optimal solutioncompared towhat theywouldprefer.
Beyondsalience, liberalsstress the importancethatdomesticactorshaveinshap-
ingnegotiatingoutcomes.Governmentsfacingastrongoppositionbackhome—and
thus looking less powerful—can convince counterparts that only aminimumcom-
mitment ispossible(Schneider2005).Whilenot reallyapplyingtoAOSIS’member
states (as domestic actors should agreewith the survival of their country), this can
be observed in a relevant counterpart of theL&Ddebate: theUS.One of the leit-
Loss and Damage from Climate Change
Concepts, Methods and Policy Options
- Title
- Loss and Damage from Climate Change
- Subtitle
- Concepts, Methods and Policy Options
- Authors
- Reinhard Mechler
- Laurens M. Bouwer
- Thomas Schinko
- Swenja Surminski
- JoAnne Linnerooth-Bayer
- Publisher
- Springer Open
- Date
- 2019
- Language
- English
- License
- CC BY 4.0
- ISBN
- 978-3-319-72026-5
- Size
- 16.0 x 24.0 cm
- Pages
- 580
- Keywords
- Environment, Climate change, Environmental law, Environmental policy, Risk management
- Categories
- International
- Naturwissenschaften Umwelt und Klima