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In this article, I analyse key statements by the Brazilian government about environmental issues during two important decades, from 1972 to 1992. I identify the specific subjects addressed by Brazilian spokespersons, and the rhetorical strategies they adopted for doing so. I conclude that these spokespersons largely adopted a defensive posture in response to mounting international pressures on a range of environmental issues, while using various rhetorical devices to highlight the positive dimension of the government's environmental policies and initiatives.In this article, I analyse key statements by the Brazilian government about environmental issues during two important decades, from 1972 to 1992. I identify the specific subjects addressed by Brazilian spokespersons, and the rhetorical strategies they adopted for doing so. I conclude that these spokespersons largely adopted a defensive posture in response to mounting international pressures on a range of environmental issues, while using various rhetorical devices to highlight the positive dimension of the government's environmental policies and initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has discussed ways of regulating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by civil aircraft for almost 20 years. Over the past four years, a consensus has developed about a market-based mechanism in the form of a carbon offset system. This article describes the route to the agreement reached by ICAO's 39th Assembly, in order to contextualise the results and point out some of its limitations. It points to two main factors that contributed to the consensus: the role of the European Union, which sought to lead the negotiations, and the choice of a flexible and ultimately weak mechanism that received support from the international airlines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two main drivers shape the global governance of climate change: "climate power" and climate commitment. Climate power refers to the level of influence of certain agents over the climate social outcome at the systemic level. Climate commitment recalls the fact that the logic of global climate governance is also defined by the interaction of reformist and conservative forces, with the former willing to take post-sovereigntist measures to tackle the crisis, and the latter resisting any major changes in the way business is conducted. This article analyses the role of Brazil in global climate governance, considering both climate power and climate commitment. It argues that the country transitioned from a conservative great climate power to a moderate conservative position over the last decade, based on three pillars: reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the adoption of domestic climate policies, and a shift in its international standing on the issue. However, since 2011 the process has stalled and partially reversed. The aim of this article is to address that transformation and explore its perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last decades were marked by the large amount of transborder environmental problems and, consequently, the increase in the number of related international regimes. However, the creation of a regime per se does not guarantee that it be implemented nor that its objectives be fully attained, much less that the issue be solved. This fact has been stimulating an interesting debate: are international regimes really effective to deal with environmental issues? This article discusses the main methods of analyzing environmental regime effectiveness. For that purpose it presents general conceptual issues related to regime effectiveness, discusses the main questions and specific methodological needs in the specific case of international environmental policy, analyses its most important findings, and focuses on the factors that contribute to effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article intends to study the evolution of the participation of the private sector in the Global Environmental Governance (GEG), identifying the contributions and the main obstacles faced by this actor. To achieve this goal, emphasis was done on qualitative research strategy based on analysis of academic literature, working papers, diagnostics and institutional reports. It shows that the participation of business in the GEG occurs through the process of formation and implementation of international environmental regimes and the development of hybrid and private environmental governance schemes. In conclusion, this article defends that the private sector can contribute to the effectiveness of GEG, however, there are several obstacles to a stronger participation of this actor in the world ecopolitics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]