Environmental Policy In Search Of New Instruments

Environmental policy is undergoing a dramatic transformation. The problems connected with global change, the need for preventative action, and the growing importance of non-source pollution call for new courses of action and new institutional arrangements. In this situation, it is fairly obvious that both the traditional command and control policy instruments and the more modern financial and economic instruments are increasingly under stress. This volume deliberately aims to break new ground in providing the conceptual tools necessary for the next generation of environmental policies. In doing so, it covers a wide interdisciplinary range, from public policy analysis to international law, and draws upon much international experience, well reflected by the mixed composition of the contributors. On the basis of a shared theoretical framework, the book explores the potential of new policy instruments, such as policy evaluation or mediation, proposes alternative institutional arrangements for dealing with the issues, classifies existing instruments, and illuminates the process through which old and new tools can be set into operation.

The use of legislation by EU governments to define environmental standards for industry has been criticised for its poor track record in arresting the decline in the quality of Europe's environment. Environmental economists in particular have proposed that legislation should be supplemented or replaced by New Environmental Policy Instruments (NEPIs), such as eco-taxes, environmental charges, tradable permits and voluntary agreements. This book focuses on practical experiences with NEPIs in the EU and tests their application using the case study of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. It traces the ways in which member states have adapted NEPIs to suit their preferred styles of environmental policy, then assesses their performance and how NEPIs have both assisted and hindered the EU environmental programme. It suggests options for ensuring that the environmental programme does not become fragmented by the use of NEPIs and discusses the implications of EU enlargement.

As Thomas Sterner points out, the economic 'toolkit' for dealing with environmental problems has become formidable. It includes taxes, charges, permits, deposit-refund systems, labeling, and other information disclosure mechanisms. Though not all these devices are widely used, empirical application has started within some sectors, and we are beginning to see the first systematic efforts at an advanced policy design that takes due account of market-based incentives. Sterner‘s book encourages more widespread and careful use of economic policy instruments. Intended primarily for application in developing and transitional countries, the book compares the accumulated experiences of the use of economic policy instruments in the U.S. and Europe, as well as in select rich and poor countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Ambitious in scope, the book discusses the design of instruments that can be employed in a wide range of contexts, including transportation, industrial pollution, water pricing, waste, fisheries, forests, and agriculture. Policy Instruments for Environmental and Natural Resource Management is deeply rooted in economics but also informed by perspectives drawn from political, legal, ecological, and psychological research. Sterner notes that, in addition to meeting requirements for efficiency, the selection and design of policy instruments must satisfy criteria involving equity and political acceptability. He is careful to distinguish between the well-designed plans of policymakers and the resulting behavior of society. A copublication of Resources for the Future, the World Bank, and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).

The use of so-called "new" environmental policy instruments such as eco-taxes, tradable permits, voluntary agreements and eco-labels has prompted widespread claims that these devices have replaced regulation. These papers offer a fresh perspective on the evolving tool-box of environmental policy.

Governments have at their disposal a broad range of policy instruments that they may use to influence behaviour and pursue environmental policy goals. This volume of the Elgar Encyclopedia of Environmental Law is a comprehensive guide to these environmental policy instruments, examining their characteristics, applications, strengths and limitations, as well as giving an overview of the most significant issues related to their adoption and effectiveness. With entries written by leading international scholars, this incisive volume provides insight into the cross-cutting issues that are common to discussions of such policy instruments, including the legal bases for their use, how instruments can be compared for costs, distributional questions, and monitoring and enforcement. Contributions also explore hybrids and blends of policy instruments and explain the relationships between them, using case studies and examples from around the world, as well as providing succinct summaries of the substantial literature in the field. Students and scholars in environmental law will find this volume to be an invaluable resource, for both its solid theoretical foundations and its analysis of undertreated issues in the field. Its discussion of how and why each policy tool might be used is particularly relevant for policymakers and practitioners.

New Instruments for Environmental Policy in the EU provides a comprehensive analysis of the debate over new forms of environmental regulation in the European Union. The conclusions draw attention to critical aspects of instrument design, as well as the difficulty of accommodating national policy diversity without contravening EU and international trade rules. Drawing on critical research and practical experience, this book presents a number of recommendations for improving the next generation of environmental policies and explores comparisons between the search for new environmental instruments in the EU and similar regulatory transitions worldwide.

Many people believe that environmental regulation has passed a point of diminishing returns: the quick fixes have been achieved and the main sources of pollution are shifting from large "point sources" to more diffuse sources that are more difficult and expensive to regulate. The political climate has also changed in the United States since the 1970s in ways that provide impetus to seek alternatives to regulation. This book examines the potential of some of these "new tools" that emphasize education, information, and voluntary measures. Contributors summarize what we know about the effectiveness of these tools, both individually and in combination with regulatory and economic policy instruments. They also extract practical lessons from this knowledge and consider what is needed to make these tools more effective. The book will be of interest to environmental policy practitioners and to researchers and students concerned with applying social and behavioral sciences knowledge to improve environmental quality.