ABSTRACT
Effectiveness is defined as the degree of improvement in environmental performance (impact) that can be causally attributed to governance, e.g. by way of international treaties, international regimes, domestic policies, or international nonregimes. While often confused with compliance and implementation, the various concepts point to different aspects. Compliance and implementation refer to obligations taken on by parties to a treaty or unilaterally in view of domestic audience costs-which may or may not have effects on environmental performance. Global environmental politics may even have effects in the absence of an international regime (e.g. if a nonregime induces domestic politics to undertake actions nationally that eschew international cooperation) or when international regimes may have effects on non-members. Effectiveness as the improvement of environmental quality or reduction in pollution loads may occur for reasons, inter alia, of international policies, uncoordinated national policies, the coordination of national and international policies, technological change, or life-style changes.
