"Because environmental problems do not respect borders, their solutions often require international co-operation and agreements. The contributors to this book examine how international environmental agreements are put into practice. Their main concern is effectiveness - the degree to which such agreements lead to changes in behavior that help to solve environmental problems. Consequently, they focus on implementation - the process that turns commitments into action - at both domestic and international levels. Implementation is the key to effectiveness because these agreements aim to constrain not just governments but a wide array of actors, including individuals, firms, and agencies whose behavior does not necessarily change simply because governments have made international commitments."--BOOK JACKET.