Jurisdictional Approaches to Sustainable Commodity Governance

Jurisdictional approaches (JAs) have emerged over the past decade as a significant mode of sustainable commodity governance, particularly in tropical forest countries. JAs are characterized by multi-stakeholder initiatives with substantial government involvement, aiming to integrate environmental, social, and economic objectives in land use management within territorial jurisdictions. Often framed as a progression beyond certification-based approaches, JAs offer a complementary strategy to supply chain-driven initiatives. Despite their novelty in the voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) context, JAs draw on longstanding policy agendas by governments and previous conservation efforts. Built upon initiatives like the United Nations' REDD+, contemporary JAs represent a convergence of different governance practices. This paper aims to provide conceptual clarity and a critical analysis of JAs, drawing on a global cross-commodity review of academic literature and policy publications. Five key themes are identified: conceptual analysis of JAs, inclusion and participation, the influence of social and political contexts, interactions with external governing institutions, and an assessment of impact and effectiveness. The synthesis highlights the flexibility of JAs and the diverse interpretations within the literature. The paper concludes with policy implications and avenues for future research, emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of JAs' potential contribution to sustainability governance