Starting from Volume 5 Issue 1 (April 2025), the ownership of Journal of Environmental Law & Policy (ISSN: 2564-016X) will be transferred from The Grassroots Institute to Asia Pacific Academy of Science Pte. Ltd. From 1 March 2025, authors should make submissions to the new journal system and follow the author guidelines. Asia Pacific Academy of Science Pte. Ltd. will take over the publication of manuscripts being processed.

Journal of Environmental Law and Policy

(ISSN 2564-016X; CODEN: JELPBQ; DOI: 10.33002/jelp) is an international, scientific double blind peer-reviewed open access journal published 3 times a year online by The Grassroots Institute.

Open Access—free for readers, with article processing charges (APC) paid by authors or their institutions.

High Visibility: Indexed in SCOPUS and HEIN. Indexing is proposed in the WoS and other databases.

Fast Publication: Primary acceptance to the submitted article is given in 1 week time. After consent of author(s), manuscript is peer-reviewed, and a first decision provided to authors in 2-4 weeks after submission.

Recognition of Reviewers: The reviewers who provide timely, thorough peer-review reports receive vouchers entitling them to a discount on the APC of their next publication in the journal, in appreciation of the work done. Reviewers also receive Certificate for their voluntary service.

thumb-0401 - Journal of Environmental Law and Policy

Journal of Environmental Law and Policy is an international, interdisciplinary journal that facilitates an understanding of environmental governance, policy and law issues not only by drawing upon and contributing to the environmental social sciences, but also linking the ecosystem health, natural resources, and social sciences. The aim of the journal is to promote communication among academia, government, business and industry, civil society groups, citizens’ action groups, and non-governmental organizations who are instrumental in the solving of environmental problems and grassroots level issues.

VOLUME 04 ISSUE 01 (JUNE 2024)

Download Full Volume

M – 00386Analytical Article

Behavioural Sciences Used by the United Nations to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals: A Roadmap and Some Stop Signs

Anne van Aaken

Institute of Law and Economics, Faculty of Law, University of Hamburg, Alsterterrasse 1, 2nd floor, D-20354 Hamburg, Germany. Email: anne.van.aaken@uni-hamburg.de | ORCID: https://orcid.org0000-0003-3058-314X

(2024) 04 (01) Journal of Environmental Law and Policy 1-21 https://doi.org/10.33002/jelp040101

Received: 25 March 2024

Accepted: 25 May 2024

Reviewed: 05 May 2024

Published: 01 June 2024

Revised: 15 May 2024

No. of Views:

free website hit counter

No. of Paper Downloads:

ABSTRACT

The United Nations (UN) and several UN Agencies have started to use behavioural sciences in order to achieve their policy goals, including for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). While it is appreciated that insights into actual behavior inform the policymaking of international actors, they also raise scientific and normative considerations that warrant caution. First, for those considerations it matters, who the acting and the targeted actors are: behavioural interventions come in many facets and warrant a differentiated view – a finely built roadmap is thus desirable. Second, there are concerns about the internal and external validity of experimental research on which behavioural sciences largely, but not solely, draws. Third, taking a differentiated view on behavioral sciences also allows for a more finely grained view on normative concerns underlying the operations of the United Nations in environmental policy. This contribution spells out those considerations while still advocating for the approach as such.

Keywords: Sustainable Development Goals; Behavioural Sciences; Law and Behaviour; United Nations; International Environmental Law and Policy

REFERENCES

Adam Oliver, The Origins of Behavioural Public Policy (Cambridge University Press 2017) 108

Aja Ropret Homar and Ljubica Knežević Cvelbar, ‘The effects of framing on environmental

Allen Buchanan and Robert O. Keohane, 'The Legitimacy of Global Governance Institutions'

Ann van Aaken & Simsek, B., ‘Rewarding in International Law’ (2021) 115 American Journal of

Anne van Aaken & Jan-Philip Elm, ‘Framing in and through International Law’. In: A. Bianchi

Anne van Aaken & Tomer Broude (eds.), The Psychology of International Law, Special Issue, (2019)

Anne van Aaken, ‘Behavioral International Law and Economics’ (2014) 55 Harvard

Anne van Aaken, ‘Constitutional Limits to Nudging: A Proportionality Assessment’, in A.

Anne van Aaken, 'Behavioral Aspects of the International Law of Global Public Goods and

Anne van Aaken, Effectuating International Law against Corruption: Behavioral Insights, 22/2

Anne van Aaken, 'Judge the Nudge: In Search of the Legal Limits of Paternalistic Nudging in

Antonio M. Chiesi, 'Network Analysis' in James D. Wright (ed), International Encyclopedia of the

Arden Rowell and Josephine van Zeben, 'A New Status Quo? The Psychological Impact of the

Arden Rowell and Kenworthey Bilz, The Psychology of Environmental Law (New York University

Banerjee, A. & Duflo, E., Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty

Barret, S. & Dannenberg, A., ‘Sensitivity of Collective Action to Uncertainty about Climate

Bohannon, J., ‘About 40% of economics experiments fail replication survey: Compared with

Broude, T. & Moses, S., ‘The Behavioral Dynamics of Positive and Negative Listing in Services

Broude, T. & Shereshevsky, Y., ‘Explaining the Practical Purchase of Soft Law: Competing and

Broude, T., ‘Behavioral International Law’ (2015) 163 University of Pennsylvania Law Review

Buzbee, W. W., ‘Asymmetrical Regulation: Risk, Preemption, and the Floor/Ceiling Distinction’

Caputo, A., ‘A literature review of cognitive biases in negotiation processes’ (2013) 24

Cass Sunstein, Why Nudge? The Politics of Libertarian Paternalism (Yale University Press 2014)

Colin Camerer and others, 'Regulation for Conservatives: Behavioral Economics and the Case

Cristiano Codagnone and others, 'Nudging in the World of International Policymaking' (2014)

Daniel M. Hausman & Brynn Welch, 'To Nudge or Not to Nudge' (2010) 18 Journal of Political

Dennis Hummel and Alexander Maedche, 'How effective is nudging? A quantitative review on

Doron Teichman and Eyal Zamir, 'Nudge Goes International' (2020) 30 European Journal of

Dunoff, J. L. & Pollack, M. A., ‘Experimenting with International Law’ (2018) 28 European

European Commission, 'Competence Centre on Behavioural Insights', available at:

Galbraith, J., ‘Treaty Options: Towards a Behavioral Understanding of Treaty Design’ (2013) 53

Garrison, J. A., ‘Overcoming Obstacles in Global Climate Action from Copenhagen to Paris:

Giovanna d’Adda, Valerio Capraro and Massimo Tavoni, 'Push, don’t nudge: Behavioral

Guterres, A., ‘UN Secretary-General, UN Guidance on Behavioural Science’ (2021), p. 1,

Harlan Grant Cohen and Timothy Meyer (eds.), International Law as Behavior (Cambridge

Henrich, J., ‘The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically

Hoekman, B.M. & Wolfe, R., ‘The Geneva effect: where officials sit influences where they stand

Hummel and Maedche, 'How effective is nudging? A quantitative review on the effect sizes and

Jeffrey J. Rachlinski, 'The Uncertain Psychological Case for Paternalism' (2003) 97 Northwestern

Jonas Tallberg and Michael Zürn, 'The legitimacy and legitimation of international

Jonathan Bendor and Thomas H. Hammond, 'Rethinking Allison's Models' (1992) 86 The

Korobkin, R. & Guthrie, C., ‘Heuristics and Biases at the Bargaining Table’ (2004) Marquette

Lori Foster, ‘Applying behavioural insights to organisations: Theoretical underpinnings’ (OECD

Lucia A. Reisch and Cass R. Sunstein, 'Do Europeans like nudges?' (2016) 11 Judgment and

Maja Schlüter et al., Agent Based Modelling, in The Routledge Handbook of Research Methods for

Mark Armstrong and Huck Steffen, 'Behavioral Economics as Applied to Firms: a Primer' (2010)

Mark D. White, The Manipulation of Choice. Ethics and Libertarian Paternalism (Palgrave Macmillan

Maxwell, S. E and others, ‘Is Psychology Suffering from a Replication Crisis? What Does

McCrudden, C. & King, J., ‘The Dark Side of Nudging: The Ethics, Political Economy, and Law

Michael Hallsworth, 'A Manifesto for Applying Behavioural Science' (2023) 7 Nature Human

Michele Fratianni and John Pattison, 'The economics of international organizations' (1982) 35

OECD, ‘Behavioural Insights and Organisations’ (2020) Fostering Safety Culture

OECD, ‘Behavioural insights’, available at:

OECD, ’Tackling Environmental Problems with the Help of Behavioural Insights’ (2017).

Paul Slovic et al., ‘Psychic numbing and mass atrocity’ (2013) in Eldar Shafir (ed.), Behavioral

Paul Slovic, 'If I look at the mass I will never act”: Psychic numbing and genocide’, (2007) 2 (79)

Richard H. Thaler & Cass R. Sunstein, Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and

Schein, A. & Baynham-Herd, Z., ‘What if a behavioural scientist redesigned climate

Seyoung Lee & Thomas Hugh Feeley, ‘The identifiable victim effect: a meta-analytic review’,

Shrout, P. E. & Rodgers, J. L., ‘Psychology, Science, and Knowledge Construction: Broadening

Stefan Stieglitz, Milad Mirbabaie, Annika Deubel, Lea-Marie Braun, and Tobias Kissmer, ‘The

Stefano DellaVigna and Elizabeth Linos, 'RCTs to Scale: Comprehensive Evidence From Two

Stephanie Mertens and others, 'The effectiveness of nudging: A meta-analysis of choice

Sunstein, C. R. & Reisch, L. A., ‘Automatically Green: Behavioral Economics and Environmental

Sunstein, C. R. & Reisch, L. A., Trusting Nudges. Toward A Bill of Rights for Nudging (Routledge,

Ted O'Donoghue & Matthew Rabin, ‘Doing It Now or Later’, (1999) 89 American Economic

Teichman, D. & Zamir, E., ‘Normative Aspects of Nudging in the International Sphere’ (2021)

Teichman, D. & Zamir, E., ‘Nudge Goes International’ (2019) 30 European Journal of

The Replication Network, ‘Furthering the Practice of Replication in Economics’, available at:

UN Innovation Network, available at: <https://www.uninnovation.network/>

UN, ‘The Secretary-General s Guidance Note on Behavioural Science’, available at:

UNEP, ‘Consuming Differently, Consuming Sustainably: Behavioral Insights for Policymaking’

UNEP, ‘The little green book of nudges’ (2021), available at: < https://shorturl.at/3PGoU>

UNICEF, ‘Bringing behavioural insights to scale in the United Nations’, 10 Dec. 2018, available at:

WHO, ‘World Health Organization s Technical Advisory Group on Behavioural Insights and

World Bank, ‘The Mind, Behavior, and Development Unit’ (eMBeD), available at:

World Bank, World Development Report (2015), available at:

WTO, ‘Australia – certain measures concerning trademarks, geographical indications and other

Zamir, E. & Teichman, D., Behavioral Law and Economics (Oxford University Press, 2018)

HOW TO CITE THIS PAPER?
OSCOLA Style

Anne van Aaken, ‘Behavioural Sciences Used by the United Nations to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals: A Roadmap and Some Stop Signs’ (2024) 04 (01) Journal of Environmental Law & Policy 1-21, https://doi.org/10.33002/jelp040101

Harvard Style

Aaken, A. van (2024). Behavioural Sciences Used by the United Nations to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals: A Roadmap and Some Stop Signs. Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, 04(01): 1-21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33002/jelp040101

APA Style

Aaken, A. van (2024). Behavioural Sciences Used by the United Nations to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals: A Roadmap and Some Stop Signs. Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, 04(01), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.33002/jelp040101

ACS Style

Aaken A. van. Behavioural Sciences Used by the United Nations to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals: A Roadmap and Some Stop Signs. Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, 2024, 04 (01), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.33002/jelp040101

Chicago/Turabian Style

Aaken, Anne van. 2024. “Behavioural Sciences Used by the United Nations to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals: A Roadmap and Some Stop Signs”. Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, 04 no. 01: 1-21. https://doi.org/10.33002/jelp040101

AAA Style

Aaken, Anne van. 2024. “Behavioural Sciences Used by the United Nations to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals: A Roadmap and Some Stop Signs”. Journal of Environmental Law and Policy, 04 (01): 1-21. https://doi.org/10.33002/jelp040101

ABSTRACTING LINKS
Crossref: https://doi.org/10.33002/jelp040101
Scilit: https://www.scilit.net/publications/7f1343f7fc33f05b545f5c5434f32e09
SSRN:
Academia.edu: https://shorturl.at/clied
ZENODO:
OpenAIRE:
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/document/741224069/jelp04-01-01-aaken
Publons:
EuroPub: https://europub.co.uk/articles/736732
DRJI:
Cite Factor: https://shorturl.at/wky6J
Dimensions: https://shorturl.at/J19CX
ScienceGate:
J-Gate:
Research Gate: https://shorturl.at/maw47
Google Scholar:
Harvard Dataverse: https://shorturl.at/dSW6u

ARCHIVE & REPOSITORY LINKS
Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/jelp04.01.01-aaken
WorldCat: https://search.worldcat.org/title/10255224713

ARTICLE METRICS

© 2024 by the author(s). Licensee Journal of Environmental Law and Policy. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). We allow to freely share (copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format) and adapt (remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially) with a legal code: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.

Creative Commons Licence
Journal of Environmental Law and Policy by The Grassroots Institute is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License based on a work at www.grassrootsjournals.org.

In Partnership with

yaroslav

In Collaboration with

lapland
Northern Institute of
Environmental & Minority Law

Advisory Board

    Advisory Board

    Chair, Advisory Board

    Prof. Dr. Anatoly Getman, Rector

    Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, Ukraine

    Co-Chair, Advisory Board

    Justice Mukete Tahle Itoe,Judge

    High Court, Cameroon

    Members

    * Prof. Dr. Nataliya Malysheva (Ukraine)

    * Prof. Richard L. Ottinger (USA)

    * Prof. Debra L. Donahue (USA)

    * Prof. Dr. Erkki J. Hollo (Finland)

    * Prof. Dr. Shaista Shameem (Fiji)

    * Univ. Prof. Dr. Dres. h.c. Philip Kunig (Germany/Turkey)

    * Prof. Dr. Evangelos Raftopoulos (Greece)

    * Prof. Dr. Koh Kheng Lian (Singapore)

    Editors

    Editor-in-Chief

    Prof. Dr. Kamrul Hossain, Research Professor & Director

    Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law University of Lapland, Finland

    Deputy Editors-in-Chief

    Dr. Evgeniya Kopitsa, Associate Professor

    Department of Environmental Law Yaroslav Mudryi National Law University, Ukraine

    Deputy Editors-in-Chief

    Dr. Ngozi Finette Unuigbe,Professor of Environmental Law, Policy and Ethics

    University of Benin, Nigeria

    Executive Editor

    Dr. Hasrat Arjjumend, President & CEO

    The Grassroots Institute, Canada

    Associate Editor

    Dr. Nivedita Chaudhary, Assistant Professor

    India International University of Legal Education and Research, India

    Editorial Board

    * Prof. Dr. Noga Morag-Levine (USA)

    * Prof. Dr. Reed Elizabeth Loder (USA)

    * Dr. Yanmei Lin (USA)

    * Dr. Sumudu Atapattu (USA)

    * Dr. Srividhya Ragavan (USA)

    * Prof. Dr. David N. Cassuto (USA)

    * Dr. Sara L. Seck (Canada)

    * Prof. Daniel W. Dylan (Canada)

    * Dr. Semie Sama (Canada)

    * Dr. Martin-Joe Ezeudu (Canada)

    * Prof. Dr. Bándi Gyula (Hungary)

    * Prof. dr. habil dr. jur. Jakab Nóra (Hungary)

    * Prof. Dr. David Leary (Australia)

    * Prof. dr. K.J. de Graaf (Netherlands)

    * Prof. dr. H.H.B. (Hans) Vedder (Netherlands)

    * Prof. Dr. Mar Campins Eritja (Spain)

    * Prof. Dr. Aðalheiður Jóhannsdóttir (Iceland)

    * Prof. Dr. Agustín García Ureta (Spain)

    * Dr. Gabriela A. Oanta (Spain)

    * Dr. Teresa Fajardo del Castillo (Granada)

    * Dr. Rosa M. Fernández Egea (Spain)

    * Prof. Dr. Dawid Bunikowski (Finland)

    * Prof. Dr. Reetta Toivanen (Finland)

    * Prof. Dr. Stefan Kirchner (Finland)

    * Dr. Laura Siragusa (Finland)

    * Dr. Daria Shapovalova (UK)

    * Dr. Avidan Kent (UK)

    * Dr. Alexandra R. Harrington (UK)

    * Dr. Ilaria Espa (Switzerland)

    * Prof. Massimiliano Montini (Italy)

    * Prof. Dr. Sonia Carmignani (Italy)

    * Prof. Nicolò Giovanni Carnimeo (Italy)

    * Prof. Dr. Alexander Proelss (Germany)

    * Dr. Mirjana Drenovak Ivanović (Serbia)

    * Prof. Dr. Rafael Leal-Arcas (UK)

    * Prof. Dr. Maja Seršić (Croatia)

    * Prof. Dr. Theresa Akpoghome (Nigeria)

    * Dr. Irekpitan Okukpon (Nigeria)

    * Dr. Pamela Towela Sambo (Zambia)

    * Prof. Dr. Olena V. Hafurova (Ukraine)

    * Prof. Dr. Nadiia Kobetska (Ukraine)

    * Dr. Yevhenii Suietnov (Ukraine)

    * Prof. Dr. Hanna Anisimova (Ukraine)

    * Dr. Vasyl Nepyivoda (Ukraine)

    * Prof. Dr. Ivett M. Buenavista (Mexico)

    * Prof. Dr. Cristiane Derani (Brazil)

    * Prof. Dr. Carina Oliveira (Brazil)

    * Dr. Mariana R. Santiago (Brazil)

    * Dr. Pablo Ferrara (Argentina)

    * Dr. Gloria Lucía Álvarez Pinzón (Colombia)

    * Prof. Dr. Damilola S. Olawuyi (Qatar)

    * Prof. Dr. Qin Tianbao (China)

    * Prof. Dr. A. Z. M. M. Rashid (Bangladesh)

    * Dr. Stellina Jolly (India/South Africa)

    * Dr. David Schorr (Israel)

    * Dr. Ruxandra Malina P. M. (Romania)

    * Dr. Christine Frison (Belgium)

    * Prof. Valentina Durán Medina (Chile)

    * Dr. Kikelomo Kila (United Kingdom)

Share
Related Articles

Go to Top

>