Post by University of Amsterdam - Amsterdam Business School

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆'𝘀 𝗣𝗙𝗔𝗦 𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀? 📝 In a recent article by the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA), Prof.dr. Ans Kolk, Professor of Sustainable Management at the Amsterdam Business School, reflects on the legacy of the Montreal Protocol and its relevance for current environmental diplomacy. Drawing on decades of research into the interaction between business and international policymaking, she stresses that negotiators must recognise the diversity of industrial actors: companies deeply tied to existing technologies, firms ready to transition, and smaller players who are often absent from the negotiating table. This heterogeneity is even more pronounced in the case of PFAS, which are embedded in a wide range of products, from cookware and textiles to medical applications. Kolk argues that effective diplomacy requires stronger scientific knowledge, sector‑specific expertise and a critical assessment of industry input, distinguishing genuine technological constraints from lobbying and delaying tactics. The Montreal Protocol, she notes, does not offer a simple blueprint to copy. Instead, it shows that breakthroughs depend on diplomacy grounded in a deep understanding of market structures, business models and truly safer alternatives. 🔗 Read the full GESDA article here: https://edu.nl/39qg7