Transnational public-private partnerships

Abstract

Transnational public-private partnerships for sustainable development are frequently advanced as policy innovations to reduce implementation and legitimacy deficits in global governance (Haas 2004). Partnerships are conceived as more adequate and effective governance instruments compared to traditional regulatory mechanisms. They are often framed as win-win solutions that increase the democratic credentials of global governance while simultaneously strengthening its environmental performance (Benner, Streck, and Witte 2003; Streck 2004). The Global Governance Project has systematically conducted a series of quantitative studies, in-depth and comparative case studies, as well as interpretive policy and text analyses on transnational partnerships for sustainable development. This chapter critically synthesizes the outcomes of these studies, supplemented by a literature review examining the emergence, legitimacy, and effectiveness of public-private partnerships for sustainable development.