Common use of Research Question Clause in Contracts

Research Question. The goal of this thesis is to explore which factors contributed to the withdrawal of the US from the Paris agreement. By exploring the possible factors that led to the decision to 1withdraw, this thesis could provide valuable insights into the policy and political dynamics of decision-making. In addition, the role of politicised science in environmental policies will also be examined. The research question is: In 2008, the notion of man-made climate change was a bipartisan issue. 8 years later a Republican president and the GOP do not recognize this notion. Furthermore, they deregulated the fossil-fuel industry and withdrew from the most comprehensive climate treaty ever made (Republican Party Platform, 2016: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, 2017). This relatively sudden change in policies that occurred in the US render this study fit for using Kingdon’s (1984) Multiple Streams Framework (MSF). ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇’▇ (1984) argues that policy changes occur not only due to the participants involved but also the context. The acknowledgement of several actors who play a role in the policy dynamics makes the MSF a viable theory to use (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, 2015). The MSF provides possible factors which could be present in each stream. The MSF is considered to be a universally adaptable theory with clearly described concepts (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, 2016: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇, 2015). The relationship between these concepts is clearly described which is beneficial for the conceptualization. Subsequently, this aids this thesis to adequately operationalize the concepts as independent variables (the factors: problem, political and policy stream) which in turn, helps identify the causality with the dependent variable (the withdrawal from the Paris agreement by the ▇▇▇▇▇ administration). Each stream will have distinct theoretical expectations which will be provided in chapter two. Furthermore, the MSF recognizes the influences of non-state actors on governmental policies. Non-state actors in the form of policy advisory systems (i.e. think tanks), could have motives that are in line with their corporate donors (Craft & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, 2013). By examining the relationship between the think tank, the corporate donors and the policy-makers, this study can help identify if the politicisation of policy advisory systems occurred. Subsequently, if these policy advisory systems then provided politicised science to justify their stance. Further justification of using ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇’▇ framework will be provided in chapter two (theoretical framework) of this thesis. To create an integrative framework that can answer the research question, this thesis will provide context to the issue of climate change in the US. This will be done by looking at how the actors involved viewed environmental regulations put forth by the Obama administration and how they viewed the Paris agreement. By analysing these views, the partisan and economic motives of the actors involved could be identified. Subsequently, this will contribute to finding evidence for the politicisation of policy advisory systems and if the withdrawal was justified by using politicised science. The integrative framework based on MSF will strive to answer the following sub- questions: • To what extent did the media contribute to the decision to withdraw from the Paris agreement by the ▇▇▇▇▇ administration? • To what extent did the governmental turnover as a result of the 2016 presidential elections contribute to the decision to withdraw from the Paris agreement by the ▇▇▇▇▇ administration? • What policy alternatives were provided by the policy community on the issue? • Were there partisan and/or economic motives for the actors involved that lead to the decision to withdraw from the Paris agreement by the ▇▇▇▇▇ administration?