Biermann et al. (2012) identified many of the same challenges in global governance that we discussed as part of Module 11, following the paper by Biermann & Pattberg (2008). These issues were at the heart of the discussions carried out at the Rio + 20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development that met in Rio de Janeiro in 2012.
The recommendations from this conference recognize the presence and importance of the new actors (as listed in Module 11.1) in the global environmental governance stage and their role in traditional regulatory pathways.
Biermann et al. (2012) suggest that the main roles of international organizations as well as nation-states are multi layered. These institutions are still positioned to provide guiding principles, legitimacy, and quantifiable goals. In addition, international organizations must now provide organization and coordination to emerging actors and fill existing regulatory gaps. Given the wide reach but limited enforcement capacity that international organizations have, they have the potential of housing and financing think-tanks that can create the biophysical and social science research needed to face massive environmental change. These organizations can also continue to provide fora such as the Rio + 20. However, to realize their potential, Biermann et al. (2012) argue that it is necessary to allocate larger resources to organizations such as the United Nations Environmental Programme.