The Impact of Domestic Knowledge Base on the Multilateral Negotiation: The Case of the Netherlands in the Kyoto Protocol Negotiation Process

Abstract

This paper examines the causal mechanisms through which domestic policy knowledge base and the underlying domestic structural/institutional factors facilitate or impede the leadership-taking potential of the Netherlands in climate change-related multilateral diplomacy. The Kyoto Protocol negotiation process is selected for the deep investigation. I look into the way in which advancing knowledge of policies on energy and the environment interact with evolving multilateral agendas and agreement-making processes.

Earlier introduction of an advanced, or even experimental, policy in the issue is proven to be advantageous in the multilateral negotiation process in a sense that it can show an example, either good or bad, and thereby provides a basis for a solid argument against countries that have never introduced comparable policy. Also, it is proven that the rigorous scientific bases of the innovative Dutch proposal for the EU burden sharing negotiation in advance to the Kyoto Protocol negotiation was one of the main factors to persuade the laggard EU member states. While influencing multilateral negotiations depends very much on time- and issue- specific domestic and external conditions and constraints, the sufficient domestic knowledge bases and securing efficient interaction between governmental and non-governmental actors in order to create better knowledge bases may be the key factors to facilitate leadership-taking potential unilaterally. In tackling global issues the effective role of the government may be in function as a link-pin not only between domestic and global policies, but also between the governmental and non-governmental organisations.