Insights on governance pathways

The document identifies a governance gap in managing Transboundary Climate Risks (TCRs), where climate impacts in one country create risks in another due to global connectivity. Using the Brazilian-German coffee supply chain as a case study, it analyzes five governance pathways: transnational governance, development cooperation, international diplomacy, global markets, and domestic policy. It concludes that while transnational governance is the dominant discourse, it is often insufficient, and suggests that the UNFCCC and international traders should take a more active leadership role in operationalizing adaptation strategies across borders.

• Transboundary Climate Risks (TCRs) occur when climate impacts in one location create risks and opportunities in other countries due to global connectivity, yet there is a significant governance gap as few frameworks or regulations exist to manage them.
• The coffee sector is highly vulnerable to climate change, with projections suggesting that the global area suitable for coffee production could decrease by approximately 50% by 2050, disproportionately affecting the smallholder farmers who produce about 70% of the world's coffee.
• Transnational governance, driven by private sector actors through certification and Corporate Social Responsibility, is the most cited pathway but is criticized for being 'business-as-usual' and failing to produce wide societal benefits or effective long-term sustainability.
• Development cooperation is viewed as a way for developed nations like Germany to support producers in countries like Brazil through capacity-building and technology transfer, though some agencies prioritize deforestation initiatives over coffee adaptation.
• International diplomacy, including Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) like the EU-MERCOSUR negotiation, is seen as having high potential for legitimacy but is often too broad, slow, and disconnected from the daily realities of coffee producers.
• The global markets and domestic policy pathways are the least invoked, as they assume active cross-border governance is unnecessary; however, markets are noted for their inability to capture externalities like climate risk, and domestic policies often lack climate-specific legislation or enforcement.

APA

Dzebo, A., & Adams, K. (2022). Insights on governance pathways. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/220401a-burton-dzebo-coffee-supply-chain-2201b.pdf

Chicago

Dzebo, Adis, and Kevin Adams. Insights on governance pathways. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2022. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/220401a-burton-dzebo-coffee-supply-chain-2201b.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dzebo |first1=Adis |last2=Adams |first2=Kevin |title=Insights on governance pathways |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=February 2022 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/220401a-burton-dzebo-coffee-supply-chain-2201b.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dzebo2022insights, author = {Dzebo, Adis and Adams, Kevin}, title = {{Insights on governance pathways}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2022}, month = feb, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/220401a-burton-dzebo-coffee-supply-chain-2201b.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }