Institutions

Institutions are persistent sets of rules and understandings that prescribe certain practices. Regimes are probably the most relevant type of institutions concerning environmental issues, defining roles, rules, and rights. The most cited definition of regimes is the one given by Stephen Krasner, in which regimes are sets of implicit or explicit principles (beliefs), norms (standards of behavior), rules (prescriptions for action), and decision-making procedures (existing practices for making and implementing collective choice). Regimes are a result of a convergence of actors' expectations in a given area. They may or may not include organizations. Unlike organizations, regimes do not exist as legal entities. Regimes [Page 238]are also distinct from international treaties. In some cases, international treaties have institutionalized principles and norms that were already in effect. ...