How the Alien Species Act had been developed?

: Guidelines, Epistemic Community, Learning

Abstract

Implementation of global environmental agreements has been regarded as fulfilment of obligations. However, Japan introduced the Invasive Alien Species Act based on the non-binding guidelines adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). This study shows how this outliner case had been developed. Four major elements are; ①policy paradigm shift by CBD and its empowerment to the Ministry of the Environment, ②supply of policy innovation by the transnational epistemic community to the CBD regime, ③development of researchers networks similar to the epistemic community and their advocacy to the government, ④the government’s learning supported by the researchers networks. In this learning process, we found out both rational learning and social acceptance.