Germany

Making Growth More Environmentally Sustainable in Germany

“…Indeed, even within broadly defined sectors, 13. Jänicke and Weidner, 1997. marginal abatement costs could differ widely between plants and industrial processes. The instruments being used to achieve environmental targets being mainly regulatory, they have been highly specific to each sector and even to individual processes.…”

Corporate social responsibility and public policy-making : making perspectives, instruments, and consequences

“…Consequently, Greenpeace will most likely not participate in more cooperative schemes such as partnerships because it is incompatible with the NGO's role perception and function. Jänicke et al (1997) describe German environmental policy-making as a combination of hierarchical and cooperative elements, characterised as "negotiation under the shadow of hierarchy" (Scharpf, 1991). Jörgens et al (2005) describe German environmental policy as bureaucratic, highly legalistic, inflexible, and based on conventional attitudes toward regulation.…”

“…Jänicke et al (1997) observed some political activity with respect to self regulation schemes in Germany, however, these new instruments still need to be improved. According to them, there is a lack of standardisation, the policy instruments are often not formulated clearly enough, and the obligations of individual members within sectors or organisations and the monitoring mechanism are often not adequately defined.…”

“…Governmental and business actors are often not ready to approach each other with the openness and flexibility necessary for effective implementation of these soft steering mechanisms. Furthermore, as Jänicke et al (1997) argue, self-and co-regulation instruments often lack standardisation, the policy instruments and related monitoring mechanism are often not formulated clearly enough, and the specifications of obligations of individual members within sectors or organisations are often not adequately defined. The entrenched corporatist tradition of Germany and the preference for top down legislation in combination with a strong paternalistic state are crucial factors which limit the room provided to companies to become active in CSR.…”

“…The German Basic Law (Grundgesetz) gives local authorities the right to self-administration which provides them with a relatively strong position. (Jänicke et al 1997) The division of Germany for about 40 years is also a critical factor influencing German political culture. Minkenberg (1993) concludes that 'German' political culture is not shared among all parts of Germany ("the wall in our head continues") and that remaking culture and political culture requires a long term perspective, since norms are not learned through formal education and indoctrination but through socialisation across generations.…”