International domestic linkages and policy convergence

Links between international and domestic policy choices are now a mainstay of global environmental governance research. A common analytical concern is the question of whether multilevel policy linkages fuel convergence of national policies. Most debates about convergence have taken place within a broader literature on globalization and its effects on domestic policies. In this chapter, we draw on this broader literature to consider whether and how linkages between international and domestic levels result in convergence or divergence of domestic policies across different countries. Drawing on two policy areas—governance of GMOs in developing countries and renewable electricity policies in the European Union—we analyze dynamics of environmental policy convergence across multiple jurisdictions, thereby focusing on linkages between policy decisions at the international and domestic levels.