Global Governance Regime Complex For Plant Genetic Resources: Institutional Dynamic Model And Its Causality Analysis

A global governance regime complex consists of overlapping and non-hierarchical governance mechanisms in a specific issue area.The regime complex in global governance for Plant Genetic Resources(PGR)is the oldest in regime complex research.The PGR includes any organs and tissues that can grow plants,such as seeds,fruits,cuttings,pollen,and their genetic information.A variety of governance mechanisms has evolved around the use of PGR.Most of the research focuses on the short-term and static changes of global governance of PGR,and few studies have adopted the perspective of epochal and dynamic evolution.Faced with the complex institutional changes in the global governance of PGR,this study asks whether there is a regular institutional dynamic in the regime complex for PGR.By focusing on the evolution of the global governance regime complex for PGR,this study tracks historical causal mechanisms.With life-cycle theory as a framework,it uses technological breakthroughs as milestones in the evolution of the regime complex.To explain the evolution of the regime complex for PGR,this study cites three developmental factors: technological breakthroughs as an exogenous factor,and power distance and national interest divergence as endogenous factors.This study uses theory construction and process tracing to explain the causality underlying the institutional dynamic of regime complexes for PGR.PGR has had four technological breakthroughs,including ocean navigation technology,breeding technology,genetic recombination technology and digital sequence information.Each breakthrough brought a unique regime complex for PGR after the interaction between an advantaged and a disadvantaged group.By placing different evolutionary results in epochal evolution,the cyclical institutional dynamic mode of regime complex for PGR could be observed.Technological breakthroughs led to development cycle of PGR regime complex in each period.Power distance and divergent national interests created four governance mechanism relationships,and four evolutionary patterns of regime complex for PGR.Technology,power and capital combine to drive the institutional dynamic of regime complex for plant genetic resources.Among the contributions that this study makes to theory is its attention to the institutional dynamic pattern of the PGR regime complex under the long-term historical development.Innovative reasons for the regularity of the pattern are proposed.In addition,in the dialogue with the theories of the development form of regime complex,this paper integrated progressive development theory and punctuated equilibrium theories of regime complex and proposed a cyclical institutional dynamic model.Finally,in dialogue with institutional dynamics,this paper follows a comprehensive causal explanation path,integrating the factors in the evolution of the regime complex.Among its practical contributions,this study laid a foundation to predict future institutional dynamic in regime complex for PGR,and provided a plan for disadvantaged groups to enhance their power in global governance.This study also called for more people to protect earth’s biodiversity,and to understand the urgency of the global competition for PGR.