TAMIU Professor Dr. Haruna Edits New Book on Climate Governance, Comparative Perspectives

Longtime Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) Professor of Public Administration Dr. Peter Haruna is the lead editor among five editors in a newly published book focusing on climate governance in the Global South.

Titled, "Climate Governance in International and Comparative Perspective: Issues and Experiences in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean," the book, published by Information Age Publishing this month,  draws from scholarly literature to explore the quality of climate governance based on the experience of Global South regions -  Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.

According to the book, although areas in the Global South Regions are resilient, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that the consequences of climate change are severely impacting their weak governance structures and finite capabilities. For example, in addition to environmental devastation, loss of life, and livelihoods, these regions have suffered the most "loss of damage." The book asks crucial questions such as How are they responding? What are the outcomes? and Where do they go from here?

Dr. Haruna expressed excitement at the book's publication in a record time of one year.

 "I am also excited about the productive collaboration between editors, authors, and publishers that made this book publication possible," he said, "As lead editor, I am grateful for the work and professionalism of the book series coordinator, co-editors, peer reviewers, and production staff at Information Age Publishers."

He continued, "Beyond these, an untold number of people made it possible for me to work on this book through their support and encouragement. This includes TAMIU leadership, colleague faculty members, and students who have helped me beyond words."

The book challenges assumptions about climate governance processes, systems, institutions, and patterns in these regions. It uses comparative analytical techniques to extract information about policy outcomes that are unavailable from other approaches. Contrary to looking to the Global North and wealthy nations for economic, political, and administrative models that hardly match their lived experience and ideological viewpoints, it contends that these regions and individual countries within them have much to learn from and about each other. Through intellectual interactions, it aspires to promote South-South policy-related conversations while contributing to advancing the study and practice of international and comparative public administration.

"This groundbreaking international and comparative research on climate governance in the Global South regions of Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean (ALAC) is worth celebrating because focused research and scholarship in these areas are lacking," Dr. Haruna said, "Conceptualized against the background of intensive climate impact, the book is a single, 'one-stop' volume that provides conceptual and empirical analysis on matters devoted to policy, public administration, and climate governance in the context of the poorest but least emitting regions."

Selected from within the ALAC regions, editors and authors address local, national, regional, and global experiences with policy, public administration, and climate governance, tying the discussions back to the common body of knowledge and scholarship defining the fields of policy and administration, Dr. Haruna explained.

 "They offer guidance to scholars, researchers, and practitioners striving for updated and detailed understanding of public administration and climate governance in the world’s fast growing regions," he said.

Book editors also include Dr. Laila El Baradei, The American University in Cairo, Dr. Liza van Jaarsveldt, University of South Africa, Dr. Abraham D. Benavides, The University of Texas at Dallas, and Dr. Cristina M. Stanica, Northeastern University.

Dr. Haruna is the director of TAMIU's Master of Public Administration. His research focus is on Government Structures, International and Comparative Public Administration, Public Administrative Education and Training, and Public Budgeting Development and Analysis.

For more information, please contact TAMIU's Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at 956.326.2180, email prmis@tamiu.edu.

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