International Regime Formation Revisited: Explaining Ratification Behavior With Respect to Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution Agreements

Existing research on international regime formation concentrates heavily on explaining bargaining processes and their outcomes, as well as the implementation and effectiveness of international regimes. With very few exceptions, variation in ratification behavior, an important component of international regime formation, has not been studied in detail. We draw on conventional theories of international cooperation and on the policy-diffusion literature to shed light on the driving forces of ratification behavior. Our focus is on international efforts to reduce long-range transboundary air pollution in Europe (LRTAP agreements). Specifically, we examine the relative importance of international diffusion mechanisms vis-à-vis unit-internal factors, such as net pollution exports, income, trade openness, democracy, and so on. Our preliminary results suggest that, controlling for a wide range of other influences, policy-diffusion effects are an important driving force of ratification behavior. Work in progress. Please do not cite or quote without permission from the authors To be presented at the 2009 DVPW Conference in Kiel Data: 18.09.2009