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- Title
Pragmatics of Policy: The Compliance of Dutch Environmental Policy Instruments to European Union Standards.
- Authors
Kruitwagen, Sonja; Reudink, Melchert; Faber, Albert
- Abstract
Despite a general decrease in Dutch environmental emission trends, it remains difficult to comply with European Union (EU) environmental policy targets. Furthermore, environmental issues have become increasingly complex and entangled with society. Therefore, Dutch environmental policy follows a pragmatic line by adopting a flexible approach for compliance, rather than aiming at further reduction at the source of emission. This may be politically useful in order to adequately reach EU targets, but restoration of environmental conditions may be delayed. However, due to the complexity of today’s environmental issues, the restoration of environmental conditions might not be the only standard for a proper policy approach. Consequently this raises the question how the Dutch pragmatic approach to compliance qualifies in a broader policy assessment. In order to answer this question, we adapt a policy assessment framework, developed by Hemerijck and Hazeu (Bestuurskunde 13(2), ), based on the dimensions of legitimacy and policy logic. We apply this framework for three environmental policy assessments: flexible instruments in climate policy, fine-tuning of national and local measures to meet air quality standards, and derogation for the Nitrate Directive. We conclude with general assessment notes on the appliance of flexible instruments in environmental policy, showing that a broad and comprehensive perspective can help to understand the arguments to put such policy instruments into place and to identify trade-offs between assessment criteria.
- Subjects
NETHERLANDS; ENVIRONMENTAL policy; LEGAL compliance; EMISSIONS (Air pollution); RESTORATION ecology; CLIMATOLOGY; AIR quality laws; EUROPEAN Union; GOVERNMENT policy
- Publication
Environmental Management, 2009, Vol 43, Issue 4, p673
- ISSN
0364-152X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00267-008-9248-6