ABSTRACT
This chapter takes its point of departure in the observation that the main-
stream literature on global environmental politics does not problematize
institutions, neither when it comes to diagnosing the causes of the crisis, nor
when it comes to addressing it (e.g., most recently, Speth and Haas 2006).
More precisely, this literature does not problematize the state as an institu-
tion. Indeed, causes of the current global environmental crisis are said to be
bad (or failed) policies, inefficient or even destructive technologies, lack of
political will, ideas (or ideologies) that are detrimental to the environment (e.g., capitalism), the behavior of particularly evil actors (from transnational
corporations to CEOs), culture (e.g., consumerism, individualism), mis-
guided individuals, and more. Similarly, the solution to the global environ-
mental crisis is said to ultimately come from better policies, new and
different technologies, more political will, other ideas and ideologies (e.g.,
green thinking, anti-capitalism, etc.), the elimination of evil actors, or a
change in culture, individual behavior, or consciousness.
