Earth System Governance Science and Implementation Plan
For example, where the hypothesis is that adaptiveness involves change in governance, retrospective research could focus on major shifts in governance and then explore alternative explanations for why it came about and its implications for specific measures of adaptiveness. Researchers could also conduct meta-analyses of existing case studies to identify patterns and relationships between variables (Young et al. 2006). Statistical techniques Comparative case studies designed to examine general trends and causal patterns can be complemented by the use of statistical techniques, which allow researchers to separate and isolate causes and effects as well as test hypotheses generated through other forms of investigation (Mitchell 2002a, Young et al. 2006). One of the most significant obstacles to employing such techniques is the availability of data. Therefore, to facilitate the accumulation of knowledge on earth system governance, it will be useful to develop databases and typologies focusing on types of agents and/or governance arrangements, forms of agency, measures of accountability, etc. A first step could be to identify and build on existing databases, such as those documenting public-private partnerships (Andonova and Levy 2003, Biermann et al. 2007a and b), non-central-state forms of climate governance (Betsill and Bulkeley 2008, Bulkeley and Kern 2006, Bumpus and Liverman 2008, Okereke 2007a and b), multilateral regimes (Breitmeier et al. 2006, Mitchell 2002a, 2008), and new environmental policy instruments (Jordan et al. 2003). Discourse and content analysis Many analytical problems of earth system governance are closely linked to the core principles underlying social institutions. Discourse analysis helps to understand the changing nature of discourses in societies and in global society, factors influencing such change, and the broader implications for earth system governance. Philosophers and jurisprudence scholars could study for example the ethical foundations of principles of allocation and access and how different schools of thought are compatible with different notions of equity. The identification of the overarching and crosscutting norms of earth system governance will require a close analysis of legal documents, both hard and soft law as well as an analysis of case law emerging from international tribunals, arbitrations and the International Court of Justice. Such analysis helps to provide a state-of-the-art assessment of principles in international law (Banuri et al. 1996, Anand 2004, Rajamani 2002).
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