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

Persson, Åsa; Runhaar, Hens; Karlsson-Vinkhuyzen, S.I.S.E.; Mullally, Gerard; Russel, Duncan; Widmer, Alex

doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2018.03.029

Cited by 63 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 31 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…EPI is relatively well-established, both as a goal for policy-making and as an object of enquiry [37]; however, still relatively little is known about how to achieve policy integration in practice [38]. Useful insights come from those studies that focus on the conceptualisation and implementation of integration in everyday policy and political settings, the so-called "positive approach" to EPI, to understand "how contradictions are 'dissolved', redundancies reduced, synergies exploited" [39].…”

Section: Insights From Literature On Environmental Policy Integrationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Governing Integration: Insights from Integrating Implementation of European Water Policies

Waylen

Blackstock

Tindale

et al. 2019

Water

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Integrated water resource management (IWRM) is a well-established goal, but there is little evidence about processes of integration linked to water policies. To address this, in 2016–2018 we used a content analysis, a survey and interviews with key actors leading the creation of plans to implement Europe’s Water Framework Directive and the Floods Directive. We explored whether and how implementation of these policies is being coordinated and reflect on implications for integrated water governance. We found a strong emphasis on achieving integration via coordination. Our interviews brought particular attention to the resources and capacities needed to improve collaboration across teams, including but not limited to information-sharing. Our study gives insight into practical approaches that may support coordination and hence integration of different policy goals for water management: however further theoretically-informed study to track these and other processes is required, as work to connect policy integration with IWRM is still in its infancy.

show abstract

Section: Insights From Literature On Environmental Policy Integrationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Governing Integration: Insights from Integrating Implementation of European Water Policies

Waylen

Blackstock

Tindale

et al. 2019

Water

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…While climate policy development and implementation typically originate in environmental policy communities, the success of these plans and programmes critically hinges on the cooperation and, arguably, transformation of other sectors (German Advisory Council on Global Change, 2011). As one of the approaches to address this type of challenge, policy integration has been advocated since the early 1980s, however with limited empirical success, despite conceptual advancements (Candel & Biesbroek, 2016;Jordan & Lenschow, 2010;Lafferty & Hovden, 2003;Persson et al, 2018;Peters, 1998;Tosun & Lang, 2017;Underdal, 1980). More recently, the concept of climate policy integration (CPI) has sparked an intense debate in the scholarly literature and has gained prominence in policy circles (Adelle & Russel, 2013;Ahmad, 2009;Dupont & Primova, 2011;Mickwitz et al, 2009;Rietig, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analyzing climate and energy policy integration: the case of the Mexican energy transition

Lüpke

Well

2019

Climate Policy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

One of the main challenges faced by climate policy makers today is to design and implement policies capable of transferring climate policy goals into sectoral actions towards transformational pathways. Hence, climate policies need to be of crosscutting character, lead to coherence with sectoral goals and reconcile diverging sectoral interests. Against this background, Mexico has undertaken significant efforts to reform its energy sector, including goals for clean energy and energy efficiency, and the adoption of implementation mechanisms via the Law for Energy Transition of 2015. Furthermore, Mexico has introduced a complex climate governance system, including ambitious mitigation goals. In this paper, we applied concepts of climate policy integration to analyse whether integration between the policy subsystems of energy and climate change occurred in Mexico in terms of political discourse and negotiation, policy goals and instruments, and implementation; as well as the factors at work that lead to climate policy integration. We find that on the level of political discourse and negotiation, an integration process between the energy and climate subsystems occurred, influenced by the availability and market maturity of clean energy, mitigation scenarios and external events, such as the 2015 Paris Climate Change Conference. However, a combination of decisions on integrated climate-energy policy outputs, and preparing the public administration system for the implementation of integrated policies, is needed to enable appropriate institutional mandates, budgets and instruments and avoid institutional fragmentation. Omitting to take these decisions was identified as a major shortcoming in the political-administrative system, preventing higher levels of climate policy integration.Key policy insights . The Mexican Energy Transition Law shows that policy windows can be used by policy makers to attain integrated energy-climate policy outputs and to advance national mitigation and energy sector goals. . In order to make full use of integrated policy decisions, the administrative system has to follow suit by also introducing mandates, budgets and policy instruments of an integrative character. . Climate policy integration in practice implies identifying and using the full potential of policy windows in order to ensure the raising of ambition under the Paris Agreement as well as achievement of sectoral policy objectives. ARTICLE HISTORY

show abstract

“…In line with our view that governance arrangements constitute non-neutral arenas, we expect that effective WFD governance will overcome administrative and policy fragmentation and political opposition. Borrowing from the policy integration literature, mechanisms that could achieve this might include a policymaking setting that allows for the explicit integration of agricultural policies with water policies [80,81]. Crucially, this integration should be followed through with a clear allocation of responsibilities and competences among key actors and an appropriate level of resourcing.…”

Section: Consistencymentioning

confidence: 99%

Implementing the Water Framework Directive and Tackling Diffuse Pollution from Agriculture: Lessons from England and Scotland

Vito

Fairbrother

Russel

2020

Water

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Tackling diffuse pollution from agriculture is a key challenge for governments seeking to implement the European Union’s Water Framework Directive (WFD). In the research literature, how best to integrate and align effective measures for tackling diffuse pollution, within the context of the EU’s multilevel governance structure, remains an open question. This paper focuses on the first and second implementation cycles of the WFD to explore how national governance arrangements either facilitated or hindered the adoption of effective policies, especially with regards to the delivery of agricultural and water policies on the ground. It draws on data collected through systematic document analysis and interviews with key experts, policymakers and interest groups, and presents a comparative analysis of two case studies: England and Scotland. The case studies show that Scotland’s joined-up governance structure, which enabled policymakers and interest groups to work together and to build trust and cooperation, facilitated the adoption of stricter measures for tackling diffuse pollution. In contrast, in England institutional fragmentation prevented a meaningful engagement of all parties and acted as a barrier. The analysis unpacks the design of policy mixes and the conditions that allow national governments to pursue more holistic and integrated governance approaches to overcome opposition from interest groups and gain their support.

show abstract

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

Cited by 63 publications

References 31 publications

Governing Integration: Insights from Integrating Implementation of European Water Policies

Governing Integration: Insights from Integrating Implementation of European Water Policies

Analyzing climate and energy policy integration: the case of the Mexican energy transition

Implementing the Water Framework Directive and Tackling Diffuse Pollution from Agriculture: Lessons from England and Scotland

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About