Research at FNI on global environmental governance examines how international institutions, law and domestic politics shape responses to climate change, biodiversity loss and pressures on natural resources, and how power and interests influence these processes.
The work spans international cooperation, comparative politics and the political economy of green transitions, with particular attention to major powers and emerging technologies.
International Institutions and Cooperation
- International environmental agreements and regimes
- The United Nations system and specialised agencies
- Interactions between environmental, trade and investment law
- Transnational governance frameworks
- Geopolitics
This research explores how international institutions are designed, how they function in practice, and how they adapt under pressure. It examines agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Minamata Convention, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the Paris Agreement. A central focus is how power shifts, scientific developments and geopolitical rivalry affect cooperation and implementation.
We analyse institutional effectiveness, factors shaping interests, ambitions, and implementation, the role of science and technology, and shifting power dynamics. The research also examines the geopolitical turn in global governance and emerging challenges to the rule-based international order.
Comparative Environmental Politics
- Chinese domestic politics and foreign policy
- European politics and EU environmental policies
- US domestic politics and foreign policy
- India’s domestic politics and foreign policy
This research examines environmental and climate politics across key countries, with particular focus on China, Europe, India and the United States. It analyses how domestic political institutions, interests and policy debates shape national approaches and help explain variation in international engagement.
Biodiversity, Genetic Resources and Land Use
- Biodiversity governance and conservation
- Governance of plant and aquatic genetic resources
- Seed systems and food system power dynamics
- Sustainable aquaculture and new food technologies
- Forest management, land use and nature protection
The research covers regulation of genetic resources for food, agriculture, aquaculture and pharmaceuticals, including access and benefit-sharing (ABS). It also analyses rights-based approaches to local resource management and policies aimed at reducing deforestation and biodiversity loss.
Political Economy of Decarbonisation and Green Industrial Policy
- The political role of business and industry
- Green industrial policy and geoeconomics
- Critical minerals and strategic supply chains
- Low-carbon, digital and biotechnological transitions
This research examines how states, markets and technologies interact in processes of decarbonisation and industrial transformation. It analyses how governments balance climate ambition with competitiveness, economic security and technological leadership in a more fragmented international landscape.
Background
Research on international environmental cooperation and global governance has long been central to FNI’s work. Over time, the scope has expanded from international environmental law and biodiversity agreements to include geopolitical competition, green industrial policy and the governance of emerging technologies.
Irja Vormedal is the Research Director for Global Environmental Governance.
