Rhetoric or Reality? ‘New Governance’ in EU Environmental Policy

Abstract

When scrutinising the literature on EU environmental policy, it becomes apparent that there has been a comprehensive transition in underlying governance ideas during the last two decades. At the core of these changes is the abolition of traditional patterns of interventionist command-and-control regulation in favour of economic instruments and 'context-oriented' governance. In view of these developments, this article has two objectives: first, it looks into which causes and factors initiated these discussions; second, it analyses the effects these reform ideas had on actual patterns of governance. As will be shown, changes in governance ideas are only partially expressed in changes in policy instruments.

Still the century of ‘new’ environmental policy instruments? Exploring patterns of innovation and continuity

“…Gunningham and Grabosky 1998). For example, Jordan et al (2005) found that there was little evidence that NEPIs were replacing traditional tools; instead co-existence seemed to be the most prevalent pattern in European environmental policy (see also Holzinger et al 2006). This finding was very much confirmed by Holzinger et al (2009, pp.…”

International regulation without international government: Improving IO performance through orchestration

“…For examples of domestic New Governance, seeFreeman (1997-98);Trubek and Trubek (2007);Holzinger et al (2006);Coglianese et al (2003).…”

Circuits of Regulation: Transatlantic Perspectives on Persistent Organic Pollutants and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

“…The EU has also aspired to be a global environmental leader, although many have noted a growing mismatch between the EU's pronouncements and its limited capacity to deliver (Chaban et al 2006;Holzinger et al 2006). Using the distinction introduced by Andresen and Agrawala (2002), the question is whether the EU is in fact a leader or a 'pusher' characterized by persistent but largely ineffectual negotiating efforts and public declarations.…”