Paul Rink

International environmental policies often develop as a counterweight against economic incentives to pollute or otherwise degrade the environment. Whether through regulation, litigation, arbitration, or market mechanisms, international environmental laws and policies typically encourage market actors to fully internalize their environmental externalities. Yet, in many circumstances, international environmental policy itself is heavily influenced by market forces. As a result of this influence, international environmental policies can often be misaligned with their initial environmental protection objectives. Using REDD+ as a dominant case study, my paper will provide historical evidence of this phenomenon and develop a theoretical framework for it.