Sovereignty & Governance
- Sovereignty is the authority of a state to govern itself, make its own laws and decisions and control its own borders
- As a result of globalisation, the world has become more interconnected and interdependent, meaning that countries frequently have interests that extend beyond their national borders
- For this reason, governments often ‘pool their sovereignty’ and work together to tackle global challenges when it is in everybody’s best interests
- Intergovernmental Organisations (IGOs) are international institutions set up by two or more sovereign states to collaborate in tackling a particular issue
- To achieve successful governance, institutions at a variety of scales need to interact and work together
- Decisions made by global institutions require institutions at all scales to take action to implement them
Examples of Institutions Operating at Different Scales
Scale |
Examples of institutions |
Global |
UN passed the Paris Climate Change Agreement in 2015 with almost 200 countries signing up to try to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels |
International |
Organisations such as the EU set ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels |
National |
The UK government plans to phase out coal by 2024 to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions |
Regional |
The Scottish Parliament has set a target to generate 50% of Scotland’s electricity from renewable sources by 2030 |
Local |
Bristol City Council is promoting sustainable transport through a bike hire scheme and car-free days in the city centre |