Environmental Regionalism in the Caspian Sea: A Functionalist Approach

It is argued that the new literature on comparative regionalism should keep away from classical functionalism because it is an idealistic theory and it does not supposed to explain regional integration other than the EU. Against this established backdrop, the starting point of this chapter is to challenge this perception and demonstrate the usefulness of classical functionalism’s relevance to contemporary regionalism and regionalizing process in the Caspian. This chapter revises functionalism via social constructivist insights. Integrating constructivist assumptions broadens the theoretical contours of functionalism and adds a richer understanding of regional integration process highlighted by functionalism. Empirically, this chapter examines environmental regionalism in the Caspian Sea. More specifically, it shows how common environmental issues challenged the individual littoral states and brought their respective governments under the Caspian Environmental Program (CEP) in 1998. Lessons learned from environmental cooperation have spilled over into the discussion on the uncertain legal status of the sea, which culminated in the signing of the Legal Status Convention.