Key insights for the design of environmental evaluations

Abstract

Improving the future quality of program and policy evaluation in the environ

Achieving and maintaining institutional feasibility in emissions trading: the case of New Zealand

“…Intervention theory was used to reconstruct the causal linkages between actors, inputs, outputs, and outcomes in the intervention through mapping out an 'implementation chain'. The mapping out of the intervention theory can help highlight what, where and from whom data needs to be collected (Mickwitz and Birnbaum 2009). Based on analysis of the design of the ETS, a chain was constructed and empirically tested with observations, market and government data, and information from interviews and questionnaires with key actors identified in the map.…”

An overview of current knowledge about the impacts of forest management certification: a proposed framework for its evaluation

“…This vagueness makes it difficult to identify specific elements to assess. Finally, in addition to lack of funding and incentives for evaluation is the lack of personnel trained in the rapidly evolving field of environmental impact evaluation (Ferraro 2009;Mickwitz and Birnbaum 2009). Lack of proper evaluation of the impacts of forest certification heightens the risk of both poor downward and upward accountability, including the process of certification itself (Rogers 2012).…”

The evaluation of climate policy: theory and emerging practice in Europe

“…Christie (2003), for instance, highlights no less than nine major approaches that build on starkly different assumptions. An important distinction is often made between more rationalistic and more constructivist approaches (see for example Sanderson 2002;Owens et al 2004;Mickwitz and Birnbaum 2009). The rationalistic approach views policy as a means to achieve certain predefined goals.…”

“…The evaluation of environmental policy has developed more slowly than in other policy realms such as welfare and education (Knaap and Kim 1998;Mickwitz and Birnbaum 2009). Key concepts are still not fully agreed upon, and many important methodological challenges remain (Mickwitz 2003).…”