THE INFLUENCE OF POWER RELATIONSHIPS ON THE DESIGN OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE CASPIAN SEA

Abstract

The thesis aims to answer the research question “How do relatively less powerful states influence the formation of institutional designs?”. Institutional designs can be defined as sets of norms, principles, decision-making procedures and rules that reflect states’ interests and expectations in a certain issue of international relations, and power relationships between states play an important role in shaping the institutional designs. While it may be expected that institutional designs reflect the interests of only powerful states, the thesis aims to demonstrate that the relatively less powerful states are also able to push their interests. The contribution of the thesis is to identify mechanisms that enhance the ability of relatively less powerful states to promote their interests in forming institutional designs. In particular, it proves that derivative and particular-intrinsic powers can boost the influence of relatively less powerful states. The results are based on the analysis of Kazakhstan’s derivative and particular-intrinsic powers during the formation of the Tehran Convention. Kazakhstan’s particular-intrinsic power in the form of energy resources and derivative power represented in multivector foreign policy enabled Kazakhstan to attract the interests of more powerful states to cooperate with Kazakhstan and take actions to promote Kazakhstan’s environmental interests in the Caspian Sea. As a result of these mechanisms, the interests of Kazakhstan were reflected in the design of the Tehran Convention.