This overview chapter presents the main factors relevant to multinationals and climate change, considering particularly those that play a role at the sector, firm and country levels. It summarizes the main elements that influence multinationals positions and strategies on climate change and that...

Regulatory uncertainty has been inherent to climate change in the absence of a successor to the Kyoto Protocol and with ongoing policy discussions on how to proceed. To facilitate steps to help address the issue, many companies have called for more certainty and a stable policy framework. What...

Climate change is seen as the most pressing environmental problem of our time by many companies, policymakers and other stakeholders. It is currently also at the forefront of attention in view of attempts to conclude a successor to the Kyoto Protocol that expires in 2012. In bail-out plans and...

This study examines the political strategy businesses may take in response to a pending environmental legislation and the determinants of such strategy through a sample of 33 firms and organisations affected by the introduction of New Zealand Emission Trading scheme. The findings suggest that...

Although the Kyoto Protocol intended to implement emissions trading globally, this has so far been impossible. As a result, particularly Multinational Corporations (MNCs) currently face a wide variety of emissions trading schemes that differ in scope and enforcement, thus creating divergent...

This paper explores the international dimensions of multinationals' corporate political activities, focusing on an international issue - climate change - that is being implemented differently in a range of countries. Analyzing data from FT Global 500 firms, it examines the influence on types and...

In the absence of sufficient support for the Kyoto Protocol, the international policy arena on climate change is far removed from being a 'level playing field'. Companies thus face much uncertainty about the competitive effects of the Protocol and (upcoming) regulatory measures. This means that...

The issue of climate change has attracted increasing business attention in the past decade. Whereas companies initially aimed primarily at influencing the policy debate, corporate strategies increasingly include economic responses. Existing classifications for climate change strategies however...

This paper analyzes the determinants of the cross-national adoption of the international Environmental Management System standard ISO 14001 using a panel of 102 countries from 1996 to 2000. I use new institutional economics to develop hypotheses on the impact of the institutional environment on...

Behind pessimistic expectations regarding the future of an international climate treaty, substantial changes can be observed in company positions. Multinationals in the oil and car industries are increasingly moving toward support for the Kyoto Protocol, and take measures to address climate...