Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Impact of Local, State and Global Forms of Governance on the Conservation of Transboundar Natural Resources in Central America

Regents Of The University Of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor MI

Investigators

Abstract

Primary Investigators: Arun Agrawal & Claudia Rodriguez-Solorzano Title: Doctoral Dissertation Research: The impact of local, state and global forms of governance on the conservation of transboundary natural resources in Mesoamerica 0721745 Abstract The sustainability of transboundary natural resources is vital to the livelihood of millions of people, the economies of less developed but biologically diverse nations, peace in many regions, as well as to the local and global provision of environmental goods and services. On one hand, transboundary ecosystems conservation is related to the coordination of political actors across scales -from the global to the national and local-, as well as across international borders. On the other, contrary to ecological requirements, political and sovereignty concerns have encouraged the concentration of power at specific scales and within national borders. Yet, global environmental governance approaches involving international cooperation along with hybrid forms of governance have blossomed around the world. The effects of combined transboundary-hybrid governance are still poorly understood. This research thus aims to strengthen environmental policy efforts by contributing to the understanding of how institutional frameworks derived from transboundary-hybrid forms of governance influence the sustainability of natural resources straddling international borders. Additionally, this dissertation research seeks to advance the analytical understanding of the complementary nature of state, global and local actors in the governance and conservation of transboundary natural resources. Through a comparative analysis of the Calakmul-Mayan Transboundary Biosphere Reserve shared by Mexico and Guatemala and La Amistad International Park between Costa Rica and Panama, this research seeks to answer 1) how states, global actors and local communities engage in transboundary-hybrid forms of governance, 2) how transboundary-hybrid forms of governance have favored or hindered conservation and 3) what types of hybrid- governance are more conducive to the conservation of transboundary natural resources of biologically diverse regions in developing countries. To answer these questions statistical models will be built and tested, as well as complemented with qualitative analysis of the two Transboundary Protected Areas (TBPAs) case studies. Data will be collected from eighty communities from the two TBPAs through surveys and semi-structured interviews of households, local organizations, as well as national and international government and non governmental organizations.