Environmental Policy Integration Research Articles

Different criteria for implementing sanitary regulations lead to disparate outcomes for scavenger conservation

Abstract Integrating environmental concerns into sectoral policies is a priority for sustainable development. Despite environmental policy integration being established in Europe in 1998, major weaknesses still limit its effectiveness, such as poor coordination at national and subnational levels. We use the integration of scavenger conservation into sanitary European regulations to illustrate how the adoption of different criteria when implementing the same legislation affects the effectiveness of the environmental policy integration process. We focus on the implementation across Spanish autonomous regions of Regulation EU 142/2011 allowing dead livestock to be left in situ for feeding scavengers. Using Asturias (NW Spain) as a case study, we provide spatially explicit estimates of two key factors guiding the implementation of the legislation, the estimates of scavenger feeding requirements, and the area designated as scavenger feeding zones, based on different criteria used across Spanish regions. We detected a remarkable variation in both scavenger feeding requirements (up to 452%; ranging from 108 to 596 t/year) and scavenger feeding zones (up to 72% in size) depending on the implementation criteria used. The concentration of scavenger feeding requirements per km2 within scavenger feeding zones (i.e., carrion demand) varied up to 167%. Similarly, the concentration of carrion supply from livestock within scavenger feeding zones (i.e., carrion availability) changed up to 33%. Policy implications. Our results support the need for systematic evaluations to choose the best criteria for implementing sanitary regulations concerning scavenger conservation. Interregional coordination in implementing the agreed criteria emerges as a relevant issue to improve the effectiveness of environmental policy integration for transboundary conservation of European scavengers.

Overcoming bureaucratic silos? Environmental policy integration in the Obama administration

ABSTRACT Environmental policy in the United States (US) is known for its media-specific approach to problems, and scholars have argued that this is ineffective. To combat these problems, some have argued for a more coordinated, integrated approach to policymaking. With Congressional gridlock prohibiting legislative solutions, the Obama administration offers some examples of a regulatory path to policy integration. Importantly, these efforts do not entail significant organizational remodels, which can be difficult to adopt. Three different ‘types’ of policy integration from the US Environmental Protection Agency and Bureau of Land Management are described. These cases serve as a potential roadmap for broader implementation of policy integration within the fragmented US bureaucracy.

CO2 Price Volatility Effects on Optimal Power System Portfolios

This paper investigates the effects of CO2 price volatility on optimal power system portfolios and on CO2 emissions assessment. In a stochastic setting in which three sources of uncertainty are considered, namely fossil fuels (gas and coal) and CO2 prices, we discuss a unifying scheme for quantifying the impact of integrated environmental and renewable energy policies on the power system. We will show that the effects produced by a given environmental policy scheme strongly depend on the configuration of the power system, i.e., on the composition of the generating sources in the power system portfolio. In the empirical analysis performed on U.S. technical and cost data, we found that a non-volatile carbon tax scheme can produce significant effects on the power system portfolio selection problem in the presence of a carbon-free dispatchable source, like nuclear power, but it may have a negligible impact if the (non-renewable) dispatchable part of the power system portfolio is fully composed by fossil fuel, gas and coal, sources. On the other side, generating CO2 price volatility market-oriented mechanisms can produce relevant effects on both power system configurations. Although the empirical analysis is performed on U.S. data, the proposed methodology is general and can be used as a quantitative support by policy makers in their attempts to reconcile environmental and economic issues.

The emerging accountability regimes for the Sustainable Development Goals and policy integration: Friend or foe?

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals and the full Agenda 2030 in which they are embedded are aspirational and intended to be both transformational and integrative in a number of ways. The need for integration across policy domains is stressed throughout the agenda. The Sustainable Development Goals are also accompanied by an emerging system for follow-up and review centered on a long list of indicators that are intended to enable countries to be accountable towards their citizens. There is, however, in the accountability literature indication that some accountability mechanisms can be counterproductive for integrative policies. This paper is centered around the question whether an accountability regime, and if so how, is compatible with a high degree of policy integration both conceptually and in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals. We approach this question through looking both at the literature on integrative governance and some of the central concepts it covers such as (environmental) policy integration and mainstreaming, and the accountability literature. This enables us to provide an analytical framework for evaluating the potential of the emerging accountability regimes for the Sustainable Development Goals to enhance more integrated policy making and action. We conclude that there are little or no strong hierarchical elements of accountability relationships at the global level which can be good news for more integrative policies – but only if there is a strong sense of shared responsibility among actors at all levels, available information on the types of behavioural efforts that support integration, and accountholders that take an active interest in integration. At the national level, there may be hierarchical accountability mechanisms with sanction possibilities that may discourage integration. Here, those who hold actors to account can counteract this if they have deeper understanding of the underlying interlinkages among the goals and targets, and based on this, engage in accountability mechanisms.

One Stop Shopping as a regime: a crowdsourced analysis of integrated environmental approval policy

ABSTRACTProject developers face stringent environmental assessments and project approvals at multiple tiers of government. In order to streamline approvals, the Australian government is executing its strategic One Stop Shop (OSS) policy to integrate environmental approvals at the state–territory tier of government. This study crowdsourced diverse public opinion to develop an understanding of the required regulatory changes, and problems and pitfalls, associated with the OSS policy. Regime theory was used to frame the research and show that robust and repeatable approvals processing, convergent regulations and laws, open access to environmental data, and a single national list of threatened species may pave the way for improved approvals. In addition, OSS approvals assurance will be a critical factor if the policy prescription is to succeed. Stakeholders also expressed heightened concerns over weakened federal environmental approvals oversight and standards enforcement, increased approval uncertainty and limited efficiency improvements. The study commended closer federal and state–territory collaboration and co-operation, use of third-party facilitation of approvals processing and an enhanced guidance for community engagement and social impact analyses as aids for policy implementation.

Identifying barriers and levers of biodiversity mainstreaming in four cases of transnational governance of land and water

Mainstreaming biodiversity into the governance of economic sectors such as agriculture, forestry and fisheries is required to reverse biodiversity loss and achieve globally adopted conservation targets. Governments have recognized this but little progress has been made. This paper addresses the following research question: What are the barriers and levers for mainstreaming biodiversity into economic sectors that exert high pressure on biodiversity? This question is approached through applying an analytical framework developed from literature on mainstreaming and Environmental Policy Integration as well as governance theory and practice to four cases in agriculture, agro-forestry and fisheries covering multi-level and transnational governance contexts. Decision-making and governance in these cases look quite different compared to the kind of public policy machinery of governmental bureaucracies that much EPI literature has focused on. Our analysis demonstrates mainstreaming efforts in some of our cases at the degree of harmonization and even coordination among key actors. It further identifies a number of ‘additional’ barriers and levers that from an Environmental Policy Integration perspective would be considered as external factors out of reach for mainstreaming efforts. The results are pertinent for the evaluation of EPI performance because the governance perspective expands the borders of who can initiate, enable and sustain mainstreaming, what scope of regulatory norms they can use and the potentially useful resources for the process.

Conclusion: Drawing lessons for Environmental Policy Integration and prospects for future research

Conclusion: Drawing lessons for Environmental Policy Integration and prospects for future research

Editorial: Environmental Policy Integration: Taking stock of policy practice in different contexts

Asa Persson’s work with guest editing this special issue was funded by the Swedish Research Council Formas grant no. 211-2012-1842.

Trash-polluted irrigation: characteristics and impact on agriculture

Trash pollution has been a problem in sustainable water resources management. Trash pollutes not only rivers, lakes and seas, but also irrigation canals and rice fields. This study aimed to identify the characteristics of solid waste (type, time of occurrence and sources of trash) and its impact on agriculture. The study was conducted in four irrigation areas, namely Gamping, Merdiko, Nglaren and Karangploso in Bantul District, Yogyakarta Special Region. We applied the Irrigation Rapid Trash Assessment (IRTA) as our field survey instrument. The results showed that trash was found throughout irrigation canals and rice fields, and the occurrence was influenced by water flow, time and farmer activities. The irrigation was dominantly polluted by plastic trash (52.2%), biodegradable waste (17.91%) and miscellaneous trash (12.3%). The IRTA score showed that Gamping Irrigation Area was at marginal condition, bearing a high risk of disturbing the operation and maintenance of the irrigation canals as well as farmers’ health. Trash in irrigation also generated technical impact of the irrigation operation and maintenance, environmental quality, and social life. This research also offered environmental policy integration approach and water-garbage governance approach as an alternative solution to manage water resources and agriculture in a sustainable manner, under the pressure of increasing amount of trash.

Low Carbon Scenarios for Europe: An Evaluation of Upscaling Low Carbon Experiments

This paper focuses on transformational processes in a post Paris agreement context. It uses IMACLIM-R, an E3 (Environment–Energy–Economy) model allowing for the integration of urban forms, transport dynamics, environmental policies and behaviors. Building upon the study of a set of local low carbon experiments throughout the European Union (EU), the paper explores two contrasted stylized scenarios of the low carbon transition in Europe. It highlights that carbon pricing policies are useful guides for transition but cannot achieve the ambitious objective without significant transition costs. It shows that low carbon experiments in the transport and energy sectors are critical dimensions of complementary measures in favor of green infrastructures. Broadening and upscaling low carbon experiments helps overcome the inertias of the transport sector by fostering radical changes in infrastructures, thereby introducing deep transformations in mobility behavior. This can then generate positive macroeconomic outcomes, even though they are also dependent on specific financial support, calling for a renegotiation of the social contract based on specific fiscal reforms and measures to secure funding for these initiatives. The paper concludes with some research avenues for improving this preliminary work and calls for a better understanding of the complexity of the socio-economic patterns of both the transition and the conditions for an effective implementation.

Mitigating tourism-driven impacts on mangroves in Cancún and the Riviera Maya, Mexico: an evaluation of conservation policy strategies and environmental planning instruments

The characteristics and patterns of tourism-driven impacts on mangroves are considerable, but still poorly understood. Therefore, this paper focuses on Mexico’s prime holiday destination to shed light on the specific environmental effects of high-end tourist development. It also evaluates the context-specific and structural challenges that conservation strategies and measures recently-applied to mitigate tourism-related environmental degradation of mangroves face. Fieldwork conducted from 2013 to 2015 was based on in-depth interviews with experts and mapping. Results show that the implementation of legal norms and environmental planning has not impeded the progressive deterioration of mangroves. Complex, self-reinforcing impacts due to site-specific natural conditions and vulnerability to encroachments, political priorities at the local and regional levels, poor integration of environmental policies, the predominance of private land tenure, and the prohibition of retroactive legislation, coupled with weak law enforcement, continue to thwart efforts to conserve the remaining mangroves. Thus, reconciling the long-term conservation of highly-vulnerable wetlands with a fast-growing tourism sector remains a difficult task, as comprehensive legal frameworks and detailed spatial environmental planning at the national and regional levels encounter considerable obstacles when attempts are made to implement them at the local level.

Participative environmental policy integration in the Irish energy sector

This article explores the implications of participation for Environmental Policy Integration (EPI), through the window of Irish energy policy, employing concepts of ‘energy democracy’ and ‘energy citizenship’. Our analysis of a consultation process on energy policy identifies distinctive narratives, with different idealisations of energy citizens. We distil the implications of consequent, emergent institutional innovations examining imagined citizens, communication, participation and decision-making linked to policy. We adapt and operationalise the analytical framework of discursive institutionalism (Schmidt, 2008), using explanatory factors for EPI (Runhaar et al., 2017). Relocating the specific consultation in the wider process preceding and following its outcomes we examine the degree, and conditions under which participation advances EPI in the sector. We suggest that energy citizenship constructs and processes of energy democratisation remain highly contingent on context. Nevertheless, ‘principled priority’ (Lafferty and Hovden, 2003) though often involving trade-offs in practice, ought not be decoupled from processes of democratisation that may underpin its sustainability.

Strategies for achieving environmental policy integration at the landscape level. A framework illustrated with an analysis of landscape governance in Rwanda

Environmental Policy Integration (EPI) refers to the incorporation of environmental concerns into sectoral policies in order to reduce policy incoherence and achieve synergies to more effectively address environmental problems such as environmental degradation. Landscape governance can be considered as a specific, spatial manifestation of EPI: it aims to balance agricultural production, nature conservation and livelihood needs at the landscape level through multi-stakeholder decision making. Despite their common focus on policy conflicts, both concepts have been elaborated in largely isolated bodies of literature, while little is known about their common concern of how actors at the landscape level deal with these policy conflicts. This paper addresses this under-explored theme, by drawing from both EPI and landscape governance theories, and adding new insights from institutional and innovation literature. We develop a framework specifying how actors at local, district and national levels deal with policy conflicts and employ strategies to overcome them. We illustrate the analytical framework with a case from Rwanda, where landscape restoration has become a new policy area which has brought sectoral policy conflicts to the fore. We characterise these policy conflicts, and analyse the ways in which local, district and national actors manage to overcome them, by using the landscape as a functional regulatory space for policy integration. What we learn from this case is that EPI is not just designed at national levels by formally assigned policy makers, but it happens in landscapes where landscape actors define their priorities and set hierarchically defined policy objectives to their hand. They flexibly fit in and conform to existing rules yet informally combining these to suit their spatial context; or they entrepreneurially stretch and transform the rules, while seeking alliances with policy makers to have the outcomes institutionalised. In both cases they contribute to solving policy conflicts in both the horizontal and the vertical sense. By doing so, we show the usefulness of the framework for identifying policy conflicts and contributing to policy integration at the landscape level.

Intergovernmental organizations’ normative commitments to policy integration: The dominance of environmental goals

Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) influence policymaking in states by devising and promoting policy ideas. In this study, we examine to what extent a set of IGOs make normative commitments to integrate environmental concerns as well as to contrast this commitment to environmental policy integration (EPI) with climate policy integration (CPI) and energy policy integration (EnPI). Which characteristics of an IGO increase its likelihood to make a normative commitment to EPI? Do environment-related IGOs commit themselves to integrate environmental policy with concerns regarding climate change and/or energy? What is the ratio between the IGOs’ normative commitments to EPI relative to CPI and EnPI? Drawing on primary law texts of 78 IGOs, we find that organizations concentrating on Europe and IGOs in which the European Union (EU) Commission participates are more likely to commit themselves to EPI. Furthermore, the sectors covered by IGOs matter: organizations active in the field of general economic concerns and multi-issue IGOs are more likely than IGOs assigned to the ‘other’ category for embracing EPI. These findings still hold when controlling for the time when an IGO adopted its original or amended relevant primary law, its membership size and whether it is a United Nations organization. Environment-related IGOs commit themselves to a limited degree of CPI and EnPI. More broadly, the IGOs’ normative commitment to EPI clearly dominates over their commitment to EnPI and CPI.

Invisible barriers: Differential sanitary regulations constrain vulture movements across country borders

Political boundaries may represent ecological barriers due to differences in wildlife management policies. In the European Union, it might be expected that these differences should be highly diluted, because all countries have to comply with common directives issued by the European Commission. However, the subsidiarity principle may lead to the uneven uptake of European Union regulations, which can impact on biodiversity conservation due to unequal legislation in neighboring countries, particularly in the case of highly mobile organisms. Here we address this issue, by analyzing how EU regulations issued in response to the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) crisis differentially affected vulture conservation in Portugal and Spain. Taking advantage of the intensive GPS-tracking of 60 griffon (Gyps fulvus) and 11 cinereous vultures (Aegypius monachus) from Spain, we found that the Spanish-Portuguese border acts as a quasi-impermeable barrier. In fact, there was an abrupt decline in the number of vulture locations across the Spanish-Portuguese border, with modelling showing that this was unlikely to be related to differences in land cover or topography. Instead, the pattern found was likely due to differences in trophic resource availability, namely carcasses from extensive livestock husbandry, resulting from the differential application of European sanitary legislation regarding the mandatory removal of dead livestock from the field. Overall, our results should be seen as a warning signal to policy makers and conservation managers, highlighting the need for a stronger integration of sanitary and environmental policies at the European level.

Analysis of Environmental Policy Integration in Japan’s Climate Policy

Analysis of Environmental Policy Integration in Japan’s Climate Policy

Analyzing the Policy Process of Environmental Policy Integration:

Analyzing the Policy Process of Environmental Policy Integration:

Can Naturbanization Promote Environmentally Friendly Built-Up Areas? A Comparison Between Cadí-Moixeró (Catalonia, Spain) and Comana (Romania) Natural Parks

AbstractThe study compares the on-going naturbanization processes in and around two Natural Parks under the impact of newcomers, but also tourists from Barcelona and Bucharest and their metropolitan areas. The landscape value of these areas attracts the urban population, which contributes to local sustainable development process but also promotes construction. New businesses associated with rural multifunctionality and value-added activities related to environmental quality were identified. New residents have contributed introducing responsible patterns of consumer, ecoentrepreneurship by women, recovery of abandoned buildings and intensification of rural-urban relationships. Negative impacts such as intensive construction of second homes, with a lower use, in some areas around Cadí-Moixeró threaten biodiversity and habitat connectivity. Insufficient integration of environmental policies, particularly in the Comana wetlands, reduces the potential for rural renewal. Research methods included a review of the counterurbanization literature and the statistical data related to processes of naturbanization in both areas, along with the conduct of 30 structured interviews with key local actors in each area. Naturbanization still offers the potential to enhance local development; however, it is urgent to assess social perspectives in natural parks management in order to achieve environmentally friendly built-up areas.

Asbestos Ban in Italy: A Major Milestone, Not the Final Cut.

Background and history: Italy was the main asbestos producer and one of the greatest consumers in 20th century Europe until the asbestos ban was introduced in 1992. Asbestos exposure affected the population in a wide range of working environments, namely mining and marketing of asbestos, asbestos cement production, shipyards and textile industries. This also determined a widespread environmental asbestos exposure affecting the surrounding communities. Methods: To investigate the drivers and difficulties of the process leading to the asbestos ban and its subsequent implementation, we focused on stakeholder involvement, environmental health policies, capacity building and communication. Results: In the past three decades, stakeholder involvement has been instrumental in advancing the industrial asbestos replacement process, prevention and remediation interventions. Furthermore, involvement also contributed to the integration of environmental and health policies at national, regional and local levels, including capacity building and communication. In a global public health perspective, international scientific cooperation has been established with countries using and producing asbestos. Discussion and Conclusions: Key factors and lessons learnt in Italy from both successful and ineffective asbestos policies are described to support the relevant stakeholders in countries still using asbestos contributing to the termination of its use.

Integração de políticas ambientais no Brasil: uma análise de políticas de mudanças climáticas e biodiversidade

Resumo Este trabalho discute a importância e o estado atual da integração de políticas ambientais das áreas de mudança do clima e da biodiversidade no Brasil. Ele apresenta e avalia criticamente o pressuposto teórico de que diferenças em termos de culturas burocráticas resultarão em dificuldades de integração de políticas. Com base no arcabouço teórico da teoria cultural (grid-group), argumenta-se que a tendência igualitária desenvolvida na implementação de políticas de biodiversidade diverge e potencialmente prejudica a integração dessa área com a de mudanças climáticas, cuja tendência cultural predominante observada foi hierárquica. Por fim, o papel das lideranças políticas em superar barreiras institucionais representadas por culturas burocráticas é também apresentado como um fator importante, relativizando e qualificando as previsões da teoria cultural.