No Sovereignty, No Problem? The Global South and Environmental Rulemaking in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction
2026-06-08
Participation asymmetries between Global South and Global North states in international environmental agreements (IEAs) have long been debated. Although developing states are often assumed to prioritize development over environmental protection, this belief is rarely questioned, and the underlying causes of their distinct participation patterns remain underexplored. This article mobilizes the literature on the “sovereignty–environment nexus” to argue that developing states participate strategically in IEAs, seeking the most equitable outcome in “sovereignty bargains.” To examine this claim, it focuses on three areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) where sovereignty claims are constrained: Antarctica, outer space, and the deep seabed. The article introduces a data set of more than 1,700 international agreements and quantitatively investigates the participation of developing states in IEAs. Contrary to prevailing assumptions, the analysis finds no significant difference in participation between developing and developed states when the bargaining context does not involve territorial aspects of sovereignty. Moreover, developing state participation positively predicts environmental rule inclusion in ABNJ agreements involving natural resources. These findings reveal a key condition under which the Global South can act as a powerful agent of change in global environmental politics.