ABSTRACT
Chapter 4 critiques the role of secretariats in international environmental governance from multidisciplinary perspectives. It argues that secretariats are important semi-autonomous actors who can influence shared understandings within treaty institutions and facilitate ‘just, fair, and inclusive’ decision-making that prioritise environmental issues. Whilst some actions are bestowed upon secretariats through their legal mandates and through dynamic soft-law provisions of COP, other actions are independent of any legal authority but within the shared understandings of COP. The socio-legal analysis moves forward debate around the role of secretariats in international environmental governance.
