Reform options

The international political response to the global climate crisis has been sluggish and ineffective so far. This chapter sketches avenues for reform of the overall institutional architecture of climate governance. The chapter reviews numerous reform proposals and reform options that are at present discussed to make global climate governance more dynamic and effective. Among others, the chapter debates alternative governance arrangements outside the realm of intergovernmental regimes; novel ways to strengthen the involvement of civil society in climate institutions; various options to realign international institutions and agencies, such as the establishment of a world environment organization; the introduction of qualified majority voting in climate negotiations; and finally, the need to prepare for unavoidable climate change by building up effective systems of ‘global adaptation governance.’