Page 1 of 13
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 10, No. 7
Publication Date: July 25, 2023
DOI:10.14738/assrj.107.14974
Gümüşfiliz, N. B. (2023). Sustainable Development Within the Context of International Environmental Politics & Non-State Actors
& The Limitations by Neo-Liberalism Against Climate Change. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 10(7). 352-364.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Sustainable Development Within the Context of International
Environmental Politics & Non-State Actors & The Limitations
by Neo-Liberalism Against Climate Change
Nadire Burcu Gümüşfiliz
Yeditepe University
ABSTRACT
Sustainable development has become a crucial concept that includes a wide range
of issues in many different areas. It highlights the aspects of environmental, political
and social dimensions of development. Within this perspective, this paper analyses
the significance of international environmental issues by taking into consideration
the effects of international environmental politics based on the claim of assuring
and promoting sustainable development. This paper also aims to shed light on the
role and the significance of NGOs in global politics which mostly take part in global
environmental governance against the neo-liberal state policies. In this sense, it
discusses that the role of NGOs come to the forefront which play a part in
international politics that are supposed to make contributions to international
environmental politics. Furthermore, this study discusses using resources as well
as to prevent and overcome climate change in a sustainable manner which is driven
by international environmental politics based on NGOs by also considering the
meaning of Neo-Liberalism and its impacts on international environment in a
critical perspective with regard to sustainable development. Thereby,
understanding the impacts of global issues as climate change is an urgent and a
required task in the sense that they play a major role in the case of understanding
the importance of global environmental politics and the role of NGOs and
international agreements with regard to environmentally sustainable
development. More precisely, this study deals with the question of how global
environmental issues and problems arise basically with the neo-liberal policies and
important role of NGOs as well as international institutions in order to contribute
to sustainable development in relation to international environmental politics. This
paper examines the role of NGOs and the importance of international institutions in
coping with global environmental problems with respect to international
environmental politics based on qualitative descriptive research.
Keywords: Sustainability, Climate Change, Neo-Liberalism, NGOs, International
Environmental Politics, Sustainable Development
INTRODUCTION
In recent years, many countries are engaged in developing themselves where they conduct
industrialization of their countries with the aim of development.
Similarly, sustainable development has become a popular phenomenon especially for the past
few decades which it has an economic, social and environmental dimension. Moreover, the
Page 2 of 13
353
Gümüşfiliz, N. B. (2023). Sustainable Development Within the Context of International Environmental Politics & Non-State Actors & The Limitations
by Neo-Liberalism Against Climate Change. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 10(7). 352-364.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.107.14974
environmental issues which emerged in late 20th century as a major concern and how global
environmental change became at the global agenda of the countries that is an urgent issue.
Thereby, this paper analyses how the agreements and international environmental politics
have been developed as the Earth Summit Agreement within the context of the concept
sustainable development.
In recent years, environmental issues like global warming increasingly became at the global
agenda of the states, politicians, and the international institutions due to the fact that the
awareness with respect to international environmental problems has increased rapidly which
also have direct effects on sustainable development of the international environmental politics.
As also advocated by Jalil A. (2010), there are many reasons that contribute to the
environmental degradation as the dangerous gas as methane that leads to global warming
which is even more dangerous than carbon dioxide.
In this regard, international environmental problems as global warming may be evaluated as a
challenge against the issue of sustainable development and furthermore, mechanisms as the
international institutions like United Nations are told to be as the ones which assures
sustainable development in relation to the problems caused by neo-liberal policies of some
states or governments.
Thereby, this article investigates the sustainability in international environmental politics and
the basic cornerstones of sustainable development by mainly considering the role of
international institutions as the policies implemented & the Conferences by United Nations to
assure development in relation to environmental problems that affect the states and
governments worldwide and moreover, the paper tries to shed light on how some of the neo- liberal policies of some governments pose threats for sustainable development.
Within this respect, one of the main aims of this study reveals to the fact that non state actors
as non-governmental organizations are effective tools in order to influence the ideas and beliefs
in the case of global governance which have also significant impacts in decision making and
further, policy making processes worldwide which will be further discussed in much detail. If
these are considered, it can be asserted that sustainable development may be achieved through
these mechanisms.
That is to say, the processes that generate most environmental problems are closely related to
broader political or social and economic processes, which are themselves part of an increasingly
global system that will be further discussed with respect to the research question of this study.
Within this respect, this study aims to explain the importance of the institutions and the role of
the agreements to create environmental regimes in order to establish additional measures that
lead to sustainable development in many new areas.
Therefore, this study will evaluate how non-governmental organizations and other
international organizations are established themselves as the key actors in international
environmental politics besides the states which contributed a lot in the case of the promotion
of the concept of ‘sustainable development’ in order to develop international actions such as
UN Conferences and additionally, how their policies are focused around the development as
reformist in order to facilitate further sustainable development by also encouraging
Page 3 of 13
354
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 10, Issue 7, July-2023
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
governments to review their policies and practices in which the network of non-governmental
groups, and government representatives are capable of developing and influencing agendas.
Furthermore, it is crucial to note that the effects are naturally global and within this context, it
is believed that the problems may be only solved through cooperation.
On the contrary, it has also been emphasized in the literature that several mechanisms like free
market economy, businesses of fossil fuels contributed a lot to global warming increasingly a
lot. Thus, in this perspective, neoliberals faced with challenging rejections and condemnations
that they reasoned a lot to global warming as a barrier against ‘sustainable development’.
Hence, this study also aims to shed light on the limitations that are caused by the Neo-Liberal
perspectives with respect to the environment based on market liberalism which contributed a
lot to international environmental problems in which Neo-Liberal strategies may even further
exacerbate the international environmental problems as global warming. This may be
evaluated as an important groundwork for the development of the arguments around whether
how neo-liberal policies of the governments play part in terms of creating obstacles or
drawbacks against sustainable development particularly with respect to international
environmental policies.
My research question is what are basically the role of NGOs and international institutions that
contribute to sustainable development in relation to international environmental politics and
the problems posed by Neo-liberal policies of some governments in regard to environmental
issues?
In this context, this study develops a conceptual framework and agenda for the study of the role
of international institutions considering UN Conferences on Environment and Development in
relation to environmental dynamics governance, politics and the effects of neo-liberal policies
in critical perspective by mainly taking into consideration the Rio Conference and Agenda 21
that is a detailed programme of action for sustainable development in environmental politics.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Sustainable Development
As discussed in the existing literature, sustainable development and sustainability are the
concepts that are dynamic and provide an encompassing solution to different notions to what
is good while it also brings differences into a common field of dialogue, dispute, and potential
agreement as the basis of collective action (Blewitt J., 2015). It covers the needs basically the
essential needs of the poor to which priority should be given.
Similarly, it is also advocated that non-governmental organizations play a crucial role to exert
political influence on the processes and furthermore, it will be worth of noting that
environmental concerns developed especially after 1960’s in regard to particularly pollution
problems and still ongoing (Baylis J., and Smith S., 2009).
Moreover, it is worth of noting that the institutions as United Nations plays an important role
to assure and promote sustainable development through universally accepted standards and
principles on a global basis in terms of institutional solutions (Napolitano J., 2012).
Page 4 of 13
355
Gümüşfiliz, N. B. (2023). Sustainable Development Within the Context of International Environmental Politics & Non-State Actors & The Limitations
by Neo-Liberalism Against Climate Change. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 10(7). 352-364.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.107.14974
Napolitano J. (2012) advocates that the concept of development is definitely associated with the
uneven distribution of the power sources within the society which triggers the
environmentalist awareness against capitalism with respect to sustainable development in
order to make the world a better place to live in.
Apart from this, the author (Napolitano J.,2012) has found out sustainability has a close
connection with the notion of development that has been emphasized as ‘sustainable
development’. As to give examples, it is worth of noting population growth, environmental
damages as climate change are among some of the issues that are closely interlinked with the
notion of sustainability that require to be evaluated within the process of globalization.
Additionally, Zbikowska (2012) and Napolitano J. (2012) pointed out the fact that the policies
on sustainable development need to be acquired to guarantee the most effective and efficient
forms of governance which are also relevant to the concern of this study.
Likewise, the concept of sustainable development refers to the fact that finding strategies to
promote social and economic development in ways that preventing over-exploitation or
environmental degradation (Greene O., 1996).
Furthermore, the authors (Napolitano J., 2012; Zbikowska A. 2012) in their studies also
reviewed the challenges against sustainable development as the damages in the environment.
Likewise, sustainable development may be defined as both economic and social development
which it aims to maintain a proper balance between economic and social development and
further, protection of the environment (Baylis J., and Smith S., 2009).
On the other hand, it also refers to a contested concept in the sense that the different groups
with respect to different economic, political, and social perspectives have different point of
views about the meaning of sustainable development (Akkartal E. & Aras G.Y., 2021; Baylis J.,
and Smith S., 2009; Connelly S., 2007).
Likewise, as discussed by the author, sustainability also refers to a general concept that deals
with different arguments based on different fields (Akkartal E., 2021). Therefore, sustainable
development requires some degree of dialogue and continuous learning (Blewitt J., 2015). In a
similar context, sustainable development indicates the necessity of politics of alliance building
and moreover stands for collective action on the basis of diverse knowledges and multiple
actors as the politics of sustainability and development are central issues (Scoones I., 2016;
Bakker J., 2009).
In a similar sense, it is advocated that sustainable development has three elements that are
economic development, social development and protection of the environment. With respect to
environmental protection and as the environmental protection is the main concern of this
paper, it is discussed that some of the world’s resources or wealth require to be reserved for
the future generation as also mentioned in the Brundtland Report of 1987 since the world’s
resources are finite (Jalil A., 2010). Thereby, the main aim is to develop international actions to
promote sustainable development (Baylis J., and Smith S., 2009).
Page 5 of 13
356
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 10, Issue 7, July-2023
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
It is also advocated that international institutions as U.N are the ones whose main purpose is to
assure green economy in the realm of sustainable development. That is to say, such
international institutions could contribute to struggle with poverty and sustained economic
growth while maintaining the healthy existence of Earth’s ecosystems (United Nations, 2012).
Similarly, in 1987s U. N’s report on World Commission on Environment and Development, the
concept of sustainable development put on the agenda. The concept of sustainable development
drew attention on finding strategies to promote both economic and social development that
focused on preventing environmental degradation, and over exploitation of the resources
(Greene O., 1999).
More importantly, the U.N established a World Commission on Environment and Development
to propose strategies. The Brundtland Report of 1987 discussed that the priority needs to be
given to succeeding sustainable development and in turn, received a huge international support
(World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987). That is to say, after the
publication of The Brundtland Report of 1987, the concept of sustainable development has
become a buzzword in the eyes of the global community.
On the other hand, several issues remained unclear as discussed by the report. With the aim of
carrying the agenda of sustainable development forward, the General Assembly of U.N decided
in 1989 to convene an Earth Summit to the Stockholm Meeting and thereby, the U.N Conference
on Environment and Development was taken place in Rio de Janeiro in the year 1992 as a part
of international environmental politics (Baylis J., and Smith S., 2009).
As it has been highlighted in the literature, environmental issues basically with respect to
pollution, climate change and global warming, appeared on the international agenda that lead
to the rise of environmental awareness as well as the emergence of environment protection
regimes in many new areas so that the 1972 Stockholm Conference established a number of
principles to provide a further framework to highlight the requirement to promote
development and environmental protection that is also influential in the development and
construction of environmental politics (Baylis J., and Smith S., 2009; Kaya İ., 2000).
Moreover, besides the states as the key actors, international organizations, NGOs appeared as
the key actors in international environmental politics (Blewitt J., 2015; Baylis J. and Smith S.,
2009; Thomas C., 1992).
Within this context, it may be highlighted that international environmental politics mainly aim
for the continuity of sustainable development in respect to the development of international
political regimes.
The Rio Conference and Sustainable Development
The UN General Assembly decided to start an Earth Summit in Rio at 1992 in the aim of
promoting and improving sustainable development.
As advocated by the author that the principles agreed at Rio must become governmental actions
in the future, and NGOs have a significant role in assuring that this will be achieved (Ennals L.,
1993) with the expectation of several interlinked institutions shaping the expectations of all
relevant actors in order to promote sustainability as well as preventing damaging climate
Page 7 of 13
358
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 10, Issue 7, July-2023
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
well as globalization increasingly give the environmental issues an international dimension.
Therefore, it may be argued that ‘international environmental issues’ covers several issues as
well as a wide variety of problems that offer challenges to those who would like to come up with
effective responses in which each issue requires to provide a different perspective and solution
in the sense that international environmental problems and the requirement for the
development of international responses clearly give rise to the international environmental
politics with the aim of assuring and promoting ‘sustainable development’ as the examples of
both economic and social development (Gupta J. & Vegelin C., 2016).
Thereby, I have the impression that international environmental issues appeared as the main
focus of international politics also which contributed to the development of international
politics. In many senses, environmental issues have become global as well as being both
transnational and national. These issues emerged as the part of an increasingly international
system in which each problem require to be examined specifically within their own contexts
even if they share several common characteristics.
With regard to the historical origins of international environmental issues, it is advocated that
the first international treaty in terms of flora signed in Bern in 1889 in order to prevent a spread
of the disease, namely Phylloxera that was pursued by the other global and regional agreements
with regards to flora with the aim of maintaining stocks of cultivated plants in order to prevent
disease in the years of 1920’s and 1950’s respectively that marked for the development of
international environmental politics (Baylis J. and Smith S., 2009; 315-316).
Other than that, in developed countries there was a growing international concern in the case
of preservation of natural environment and to prevent global pollution during 1960s which
encouraged environmental movements referring to Silent Spring (Carson R., 2000) which
created a global consciousness in the case of the international environment. Moreover, as there
is an increase in the case of acid rains and transnational air pollution, discussions began on the
development of a new Law in terms of the use of the global seas and the seabed especially in
Canada and Scandinavia where the damages are high in terms of forest and the ecosystem
(Baylis J. and Smith S., 2009; 316).
Consequently, the awareness about the international environment come to the forefront after
1960s as a way of responding to problems of pollution which was significantly reflected in the
transformation of existing agreements into global environmental regimes by the purpose of
constructing several measures in order to protect the international environment in certain
areas which also give rise to the development of international environmental politics (Baylis
J. and Smith S., 2009; Zürn M., 1998).
State and Non-State Actors
As advocated in the literature of IR Theory and more significantly, in the context of Realist
theory, states are taken into consideration as the primary actors based on the idea of
sovereignty of the states which is mainly state-centric. So that one may argue international
politics is driven by the states which pursue their interests. However, it is crucial to highlight
the fact that international environmental problems are unintended side effects of broader
socio-economic processes. Moreover, international agreements are crucial in the sense that
they aim to produce cooperative solutions against international environmental problems in
Page 8 of 13
359
Gümüşfiliz, N. B. (2023). Sustainable Development Within the Context of International Environmental Politics & Non-State Actors & The Limitations
by Neo-Liberalism Against Climate Change. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 10(7). 352-364.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.107.14974
which interstate diplomacy appears on the agenda of the states whilst states are going to be the
legal parties to any treaties (Baylis J. and Smith S., 2009).
On the contrary, there are a vast number of non-state actors as local authorities, financial
institutions, non-governmental organizations, individuals and groups as political actors. More
to the point, the non-state actors are quite significant in the sense that they play a primary role
to responding international environmental problems within the realm of international
environmental politics. For instance, there are a huge number of non-state actors that play a
major role in relation to international environmental negotiations and agreements in order to
prevent environmental problems. In other words, only the states are not sufficient in the case
of implementing environmental commitments globally. Therefore, it becomes clear that
international institutions, states and national organizations require to cooperate to each other
to overcome problems that were the results of international environmental pollution and global
warming. Thereby, it is discussed that the decisions with respect to international environment
in order to cope with environmental degradation need to involve the non-state actors like non- governmental groups, groups and individuals (Auer M.R., 2000).
Similarly, it is advocated by the authors in the existing literature that there is an increasingly
significant role of non-state actors worldwide which imply a transition from government into
governance operating at the international level by the early 1970s focusing on new actors with
new patterns of interaction since the regarding problems are not only limited to the state
territories yet, international environmental problems are transboundary and therefore, the
problems to be solved require international cooperation (Arts et.al., 2001; Bouwer K., 1985;
Keohane., R & Nye J., 1987). That is to say, there appears rising levels of interdependence in
which some examples defined as a ‘complex interdependence’ (Keohane., R & Nye J., 1987). This
refers to a much more pluralist approach in the sense that the supremacy of the state as the
main actor somehow undermined with the emergence of non-states actors.
Furthermore, it may be highlighted that with the inclusion of non-state actors, new forms of
governance emerged in respect to the international environmental politics (Vig N.J, and Axelrod
R.S., 1999). In that sense, institutions may be also indicated as important actors in
world politics in which cooperation may yield better outcomes such as achieving a series of
reciprocal arrangements in international environmental world politics (Auer M.R., 2000).
Therefore, the emergence of non-state actors as non-governmental organizations, transnational
networks as well as corporation have become significant in the international arena with respect
to the politics of global environment.
Neo-Liberalism
As advocated by Thorsen and Lie (2006), Neo-Liberalism relates to absolute gains where
cooperation is possible under hegemon as well as cooperation reshapes the interests of states
in which complex interdependence is the key.
Furthermore, Neo-Liberalism may be defined as a return to the classical liberal economic
theories of Adam Smith in which the basic argument is laissez-faire stance on economic policy
Page 9 of 13
360
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 10, Issue 7, July-2023
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
issues based on open market economy and a demand for a minimal state intervention (Thorsen
D. E & Lie A., 2006).
Similarly, it is discussed that Neo-Liberalism is considered as an ideology which marks for
policy making and further, as a ‘Theory of Ecomomics’ in the case of a development of a
capitalist order and likely, the revival of Adam Smith’s economic theories from the previous
times (Clarke S., 2005).
As advocated by the scholars in the literature, Neo-Liberalism refers to the processes which are
characterized by free trade, free market economy and powerful private property rights and
hence, the state requires to assure the proper functioning of the market as well as providing the
functions to secure the rights of private property (Blomgren 1997; Harvey D., 2005).
In a similar vein, the author discusses that the state intervention with respect to the market
should be kept at minimum due to the fact that ‘’the state cannot possibly possess enough
information to second-guess market signals (prices) and because powerful interest groups will
inevitably distort and bias state interventions for their own benefit” (Harvey D., 2005, 2).
According to the several scholarly arguments, there is a degree of relationship between the
state and state’s external environment that make neoliberalism a loose set of ideas of how the
relationship should be organised and nevertheless, it is not a complete ideology (Blomgren A.,
1997; Malnes R.,1998).
Therefore, rather than completely being a political ideology, it may be argued that the concept
of Neo-Liberalism associates with political economic practices.
Effects of Neo-Liberal Policies in a Critical Perspective
It is discussed that Since the late 1970s, neoliberal ideas have gradually affected into the domain
of environmental policy as part of a wider change in the global political economy especially
since the year 1970s (Castree N., 2010).
Within the realm of neo-liberal policies as market liberalism, fossil fuel businesses, and the
improvements in technology have further accelerated the amount of the resources that have
been used as well as the increasing number of production capabilities that reveals to the
systematic degradation of the global environment (Clark B. & York R., 2005). To put it another
way, neoliberalism is associated to the privatization of state-owned, or the resources of
common property like forests and biodiversity.
As advocated by the author (Fukuyama F., 1989), neo-liberalism is the ideological summit as
there is nowhere better to go however, there is no end to the trajectory of progress and
development, growth and consumption and hence ecological destruction.
Similarly, Fremstad (2022) in his study pointed out that the countries with neo-liberal
perspectives do worse in terms of proposing solutions to climate change or global warming
which clearly prevent the climate action in many countries as in the case of United States.
Moreover, the author discusses that anti-neoliberal frameworks require to be adapted with
Page 10 of 13
361
Gümüşfiliz, N. B. (2023). Sustainable Development Within the Context of International Environmental Politics & Non-State Actors & The Limitations
by Neo-Liberalism Against Climate Change. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 10(7). 352-364.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.107.14974
respect to climate regulations which are binding to aim growing decarbonization to protect the
environment and to overcome global warming (Fremstad A., 2022; Jerwis R., 2011).
On the contrary, Mooney (2012) reviewed the challenges set by neoliberalism in the sense that
some of the global institutions are not successful to act decisively to prevent inequality and to
sustain health at the global level. Therefore, from the perspective of health issues, neoliberalism
has a negative impact on the global institutions.
Therefore, the author investigated the fact that neoliberalism is mostly considered as an
economic strategy that serves to the interests of the capitalists. So that, the neoliberal ideology
revolves around the discourses of progress, growth and sustainability (Cervantes J., 2013). In
other words, when one think in relation to sustainability in terms of economically, it may have
clearly negative impacts on the environment globally unlike the role of U.N to promote
sustainable development in the case of international environmental politics.
Promotion of Sustainable Development in the Context of Global Issues
Environmental issues as climate change became a major focus within the realm of global issues
which also encouraged international political responses. Thus, since the year 1970s, several
institutions as non-state actors including NGOs and environmental regimes with respect to
international governance have developed through a variety of actors. Thereby, concepts with
respect to international environmental politics give the reader ideas about ontological as well
as epistemological discussion.
On the other hand, it is crucial to note that the states have the responsibility to control or they
do not cause any damages to the environment in which international community needs to
determine the limit on the usage of resources that are characterized as the ‘Common Heritage
of Mankind’ require to be preserved or used for the common benefit and the measures to
overcome pollution as well as protecting the whole environment need to be balanced against
the goals of both economic and social so that, the international agreements could consider the
differing requirements or needs of the states.
Within that context, the main objective is to prevent the climate change as well as global
warming including to preserve biodiversity to promote sustainability. Hence, there is still a
room exists for ongoing arrangements to achieve mutually satisfactory results however, it is
also important to note that all types of cooperation will not always yield to good outcomes as
there is still a likelihood of failure to cooperate that needs to be kept in mind.
Most significantly, Agenda 21 which is a dynamic programme involving both state and non- state actors may be considered among the body which encouraged the production in terms of
the domestic plans to promote sustainable development and furthermore, Agenda 21 may be
evaluated as a forum where plans can be evaluated and the network of non-governmental
groups and the representatives of many governments become influential in playing a part for
the development of new agendas even though their impact on developing agendas is small.
Therefore, the bodies like Agenda 21 needs to be encouraged to have more impacts on certain
processes which drive patterns of development as well as international environmental regimes
reinforce and at the same time, they institutionalize reciprocity.
Page 11 of 13
362
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 10, Issue 7, July-2023
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Consequently, it will be worth of noting that global environmental issues cover a variety of
problems and several issues to be addressed and responded as each issue is specific and need
to be analyzed differently which looks for international responses as the development of
environmental regimes in the case of climate change regimes and further, it is required to
mention the role of the international institutions in order to promote sustainable development
provides a critical role mainly in the realm of international environmental politics.
CONCLUSION
The environment has become a global issue in the late 20th century due to the fact that
international environmental issues become a focus for international concern that is
institutionalized in which international actors apart from states have the responsibility to
reduce pollution and to assure and promote sustainable development in the case of
international environmental politics.
Furthermore, it is noteworthy to mention that much of the international environmental regimes
focus on the development (Young O.R., 2011).
On the contrary, regimes are sometimes inadequate in the sense that transforming the socio- economic processes which create environmental degradation.
In this context, neo liberal policies also refer to the factors that underly environmental
degradation and moreover, sustainable development becomes a contested concept since the
people think in different ways in terms of politically, socially, economically and
environmentally.
Besides, several non-governmental organisations and international organizations play an
important part as key actors which played a role in the formation of new environmental
agreements to promote sustainable development.
In line with these arguments, UN Conference on Environment and Development in 1992 in Rio
presents a good example by developing international actions to promote the concept of
sustainable development.
Simply because, the Conference also encouraged political and institutional changes for
environmental regulations as well as the stimulation of international networks of
environmental non-governmental organizations that are considered to be representing
examples for sustainable development in terms of environmental issues. Together, these
outcomes covered every aspect of sustainable development. These agreements and guidelines
are still adhered to today and are influencing many political and business decisions. Finally, it
is recommended that the development of international environmental regimes may be the area
of research for future studies.
References
Abubakar, I. R., Maniruzzaman, K. M., Dano, U. L., AlShihri, F. S., AlShammari, M. S., Ahmed, S. M. S., Al-Gehlani, W.
A. G., et al. (2022). Environmental Sustainability Impacts of Solid Waste Management Practices in the Global
Page 12 of 13
363
Gümüşfiliz, N. B. (2023). Sustainable Development Within the Context of International Environmental Politics & Non-State Actors & The Limitations
by Neo-Liberalism Against Climate Change. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 10(7). 352-364.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.107.14974
South. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), 12717.
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912717
Akkartal E., & Aras G.Y. (2021). Sustainability in Fleet Management Journal of Advanced Research in Economics
and Administrative Sciences, 2(3), 13-39 https://doi.org/10.47631/jareas.v2i3.288
Akkartal E., (2021). Sustainability, Nobel Bilimsel Eserler ISBN:9786257566384.
Auer. M.R., (2000). Who Participates in Global Environmental Governance? Partial Answers from International
Relations Theory. Policy Sciences, 33(2), 155–180. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4532495
Arts, B., M. Noortmann and B. Reinalda, eds. (2001), Non-state Actors in International Relations. Aldershot:
Ashgate.
Baylis, Smith, S., & Owens, P. (2009). The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International
Relations (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Bakker, K. (2009). ‘’Neoliberal Nature, Ecological Fixes, and the Pitfalls of Comparative Research’’. Environment
and Planning A: Economy and Space, 41(8): 1781–1787. https://doi.org/10.1068/a4277
Blomgren, A. (1997): Nyliberal politisk filosofi. En kritisk analys av Milton Friedman, Robert Nozick och F. A.
Hayek. Nora: Bokförlaget Nya Doxa.
Bouwer, K. (1985). Ecological and Spatial Traditions in Geography, and the Study of Environmental Problems.
GeoJournal, 11(4), 307–312. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41143573
Brett Clack, & York, R. (2005). ‘’Carbon Metabolism: Global Capitalism, Climate Change, and the Biospheric Rift’’.
Theory and Society, 34(4): 391–428. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4501730
Blewitt, J. (2015). Understanding Sustainable Development. New York, NY: Earthscan.
Carson, R. (2000). Silent Spring. Penguin Classics.
Clark, B., York, R. Carbon metabolism: Global capitalism, climate change, and the biospheric rift. Theor Soc 34,
391–428 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11186-005- 1993-4
Clarke, S. (2005): “The Neoliberal Theory of Society”; pp. 50-59 in Alfredo Saad- Filho and Deborah Johnston:
Neoliberalism – A Critical Reader. London: Pluto Press.
Castree, N. (2010). Neoliberalism and the biophysical environment: a synthesis and evaluation of the research.
Environment and Society, 1(1), 5-45.
Connelly, S. (2007) Mapping Sustainable Development as a Contested Concept, Local Environment, 12:3, 259-
278, DOI: 10.1080/13549830601183289
Ennals, L. (1993). The Significance of the Rio Earth Summit. Medicine and War, 9(3), 191–198.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/45354709
Fukuyama, F. (1989). The End of History? The National Interest, 16, 3–18.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/24027184
Fremstad, A. (2022). ‘’Neoliberalism & Climate Change: How the Free Market Myth has prevented Climate action’’
Ecological Economics. 197(10) 107-145 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2022.107353.
Gupta, J., & Vegelin, C. (2016) Sustainable development goals and inclusive development. International
Environment Agreements 16, 433–448 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10784-016-9323-z
Page 13 of 13
364
Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 10, Issue 7, July-2023
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Harvey, D. (2005): A Brief History of Neoliberalism. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Kaya İ. (2000) The Stockholm Commitments: Progressive Development of International Environmental Law.
Selçuk Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi 1(2): 301-311.
Keohane, R., & Nye, J. (1987). Power and Interdependence revisited. International Organization, 41(4), 725-753.
doi:10.1017/S0020818300027661
Malnes, R. (1998): “Liberalismens mangfold”; Statsvetenskaplig Tidskrift 101:304- 313.
Mooney G. (2012) ‘’Neoliberalism is Bad for Our Health’’. International Journal of Health Services. 42(3):383-401
doi:10.2190/HS.42.3.b
Jalil A. (2010) Sustainable Development in Malaysia: A Case Study on Household Waste Management. Journal of
Sustainable Development, 3(3), 91-102
Jervis, R. (1999). ‘Realism, Neoliberalism, and Cooperation: Understanding the Debate’. International Security,
24(1): 42–63. http://www.jstor.org/stable/2539347
Thomas, C. (1992) The International Politics of Environment Oxford Clarendon Press.
Thorsen, D. E., & Lie, A. (2006). What is neoliberalism. Oslo, University of Oslo, Department of Political Science,
Manuscript, 1-21.
Scholtz, W. (2008). Common heritage: saving the environment for humankind or exploiting resources in the
name of eco-imperialism? The Comparative and International Law Journal of Southern Africa, 41(2), 273–293.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/23253186
Scoones, I. (2016) The Politics of Sustainability and Development 2016 Annual Review of Environment and
Resources Vol.41 293-319
Vig, N.J. and R.S. Axelrod, eds. (1999), The Global Environment. Institutions, Law, and Policy. London: Earthscan.
Young, O. R. (2011). ‘Effectiveness of international environmental regimes: Existing knowledge, cutting edge
themes, and research strategies’. Proceedings of the National Academies of Science, 108(50): 19853-19860.
Zbikowska A.R. (2012). The Concept of Sustainable Development and Its Impact on The Shaping of Modern
International Relations Through Global Agreements Comparative Economic Research Central and Eastern
Europe, 15(2) DOI:10.2478/v10103- 012-0012-z
Zürn, M. (1998). The Rise of International Environmental Politics: A Review of Current Research [Review of
Global Accord: Environmental Challenges and International Responses; Institutions for the Earth: Sources of
Effective International Environmental Protection; Environmental NGOs in World Politics: Linking the Local and
the Global; Environmental Diplomacy: Negotiating More Effective Global Agreements; Polar Politics: Creating
International Environmental Regimes; International Governance: Protecting the Environment in a Stateless
Society, by N. Choucri, P. Haas, R. O. Keohane, M. A. Levy, T. Princen, M. Finger, L. E. Susskind, O. R. Young, & G.
Osherenko]. World Politics, 50(4), 617–649. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25054058