Unable or Unwilling? Explaining the Implementation Gaps within the EU's Environmental Policies
Author
Holdorf, Peter Spangenberg
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2017
Submitted on
2017-05-31
Pages
66
Abstract
This thesis examines the paradox that EU environmental policies are not fully delivered despite strong public support and substantial potential environmental and economic gains from better implementation. It asks why implementation gaps arise in EU environmental policy. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design across Member States, it develops a new measure of implementation performance based on the European Commission’s Environmental Implementation Review (EIR), rather than conventional transposition or infringement indicators. The theoretical framework distinguishes between Member States’ willingness and capacity to implement: willingness is proxied by public opinion, the salience of environmental issues, and respect for the rule of law; capacity covers administrative capacity, quality of government, multi-level governance, and veto players. Linear regression is used to test associations between these factors and EIR-based implementation performance. The analysis concludes that poor quality of government and weak respect for the rule of law are the most robust explanations for persistent gaps, suggesting that improving governance quality and rule-of-law adherence is key to closing implementation deficits and achieving EU environmental objectives.
Afhandlingen undersøger paradokset, at EU’s miljøpolitik ofte ikke realiseres fuldt ud, selv om bedre gennemførelse både understøttes af borgerne og rummer betydelige miljømæssige og økonomiske gevinster. Forskningsspørgsmålet er, hvorfor der opstår implementeringsgab i EU’s miljøpolitik. Studiet anvender et kvantitativt tværsnitsdesign på tværs af medlemsstater og udvikler et alternativt mål for implementeringspræstation baseret på Europa-Kommissionens Environmental Implementation Review (EIR) frem for de traditionelle mål som transposition og traktatbrud. Den teoretiske ramme skelner mellem medlemsstaternes vilje og kapacitet til at implementere: vilje indfanges bl.a. af offentlig opinion, miljøspørgsmåls saliens og respekt for retsstaten; kapacitet dækker bl.a. administrativ kapacitet, forvaltningskvalitet, multi-level governance og veto-spillere. Med lineær regression undersøges sammenhænge mellem disse faktorer og EIR-målt implementeringspræstation. Analysen peger på, at dårlig forvaltningskvalitet og svag respekt for retsstaten er de mest robuste forklaringer på vedvarende implementeringsgab, hvilket antyder, at styrket regeringsførelse og retsstat er centralt for at lukke gabene og levere på EU’s miljømål.
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