ABSTRACT
The agenda of an Earth Summit is certainly far removed from the agenda of classical diplomacy. Diplomats were involved, trying to bridge differences and to find common ground; or drafting a concluding text that could be accepted as guiding the actual follow-up to the conference. Diplomats thus remain relevant as representatives of states. In global governance, diplomats provide the link to states, which still provide most of that legitimacy which ultimately must underpin all norms of global governance. Diplomats therefore have their place in global governance through the function the global system assigns to them. The system as such needs those diplomatic bridge-builders. It creates room for their activities and endows diplomats with role and significance. The fact that many apply for the few openings available proves that a diplomatic career is still considered attractive both for material and for non-material reasons. Diplomats are usually well paid—especially in their upper ranks.
