What the study found
Global environmental governance remains politically inadequate for addressing planetary crises, according to the authors. They argue that fragmented arrangements, weak authority, limited accountability, and a sovereignty-bound logic continue to constrain collective action.
What the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that these limits make current governance arrangements unable to provide durable coordination at the scale of the Anthropocene, the current era in which human activity significantly affects the planet. The study suggests that more enforceable authority and democratic legitimacy are needed in future global environmental governance.
What the researchers tested
The article critically examines global environmental governance through polycentric governance and Nested Systemic Governance approaches. It draws on debates in environmental politics and global governance to assess these frameworks and to develop a longer-term institutional perspective.
What worked and what didn't
The authors say nested governance can reduce fragmentation and increase participation. However, they also state that it remains dependent on voluntarism and lacks the political authority and democratic anchoring required for durable coordination.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe empirical data, case-study methods, or specific limitations beyond the conceptual and critical scope of the article. The proposed federative framework is presented as a longer-term institutional perspective rather than a tested solution.
Key points
- The authors say global environmental governance is still too fragmented and weak to address planetary crises.
- Nested governance is described as helpful for reducing fragmentation and increasing participation.
- The article argues that nested governance depends on voluntarism and lacks enforceable authority.
- The authors propose a gradual move toward a federative framework with multilevel participation, enforceable authority, and democratic legitimacy.
- The abstract presents a conceptual critique rather than an empirical test of a policy intervention.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Nested governance is seen as insufficient for planetary environmental crises
- Authors:
- Manuel Galiñanes, Leo Klinkers
- Institutions:
- Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands, Utrecht University
- Publication date:
- 2026-03-11
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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