The effects of recent austerity on environmental protection decisions

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to establish the evidence for, the why and how recent austerity policy atmosphere associated with the UK government affected environmental protection decisions within planning in Scotland. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative analysis based on perspectives gathered via questionnaire survey targeted at stakeholders involved in planning in Scotland was undertaken. The questionnaire responses were analysed thematically, supplemented by using statistical tests of significance and variance to show how responses differed across participants. Findings The evidence showed that austerity policy atmosphere resulted in a pervasive neoliberal imperative of resuscitating the economy; whilst producing subtle and adverse effects on environmental decisions. This was best understood within a neo-Gramscian perspective of hegemony, borrowed from the field of political economy of states. Research limitations/implications The gathered views were constrained within unknown biases that the participants may have had; and because the case study approach was not equipped to generalise the results beyond the study, more research testing cause-effect between the austerity and selected environmental parameters is needed, from various contexts. Practical implications Decision-making frameworks should explicitly acknowledge the unique pressures during austerity periods; and contemplate resilient decision-making frameworks that can withstand the hegemonic tendencies which prioritise economic goals above environmental ones. Originality/value Whilst the area of austerity’s impacts on the environment remains poorly evidenced, empirically, this seminal paper uses robust analysis to establish how the austerity policy atmosphere affects environmental decisions. This is insight into what may be happening in other similar situations outside Scotland, raising concern as to whether and how we should approach the challenge of hegemonic ideas.

Exploring Future Effects of Prolonged Austerity Policy on Environmental Decisions in Scotland: Perspectives from a Kuznetsian Thought Experiment

“…This is because as budgets for planning and environmental protection institutions fall, the EKC hypothesis kicks in and environmental degradation follows, and the cycle repeats itself, leading to a range between the two sinuous curves: slightly above x at the worst or below x at the best, respectively. The point below x can occur, when environmental degradation is occurring innocuously or subtly as was indicated in the Scotland study (Onyango et al, 2019). For example, increasing greenhouse gases emissions or slow transformations in the greening of business supply chains, can be less visible and therefore not trigger immediate responses, as opposed to more visible and perhaps alarming degradation such as deforestation or waste pollution.…”

“…A recent study based on stakeholders' perceptions in Scotland's planning sector (Onyango et al, 2019), concluded that austerity had subtle and adverse effects on environmental decisions.…”

“…These narratives represented state and government-espoused agenda, which subsequently permeated and domineered through the planning system, underpinned by a plethora of powerful and complex multi-level government-supported means and agents e.g. budgets and targets of planning departments (Onyango et al, 2019;Gill, 2002). Some regulatory requirements on environmental protetion were reported to be 'relaxed' without any formal changes to the regulations themselves; projects were permitted on environmental assets where they would not have been allowed pre-austerity, and; even stakeholders who were traditionally known to protect the environment (e.g.…”

“…However, the long-term legacy of austerity measures on environmental protection remains largely unknown, with Lloyd (2011) indicating that the effects of austerity on planning sector decisions remain speculative in the short-term, as well as in the long-term (Onyango et al, 2019). Yet this matters within the conventional wisdom that planning helps societies set visions of desired futures and meet goals of sustainable development, including addressing current issues including biodiversity, climate change, resource efficiency and conservation, equity and governance (Allmendinger, 2009; Wilson and piper, 2010).…”

The Contours of State Retreat from Collaborative Environmental Governance under Austerity

“…This is due to the mixed private-public-voluntary ownership regimes of protected natural environments, and the attendant requirements for stakeholder engagement in environmental management decision making [36]. Whilst there is a small literature accounting for the effects of austerity programmes on governance modalities [37,38], there is little exploring its effects on environmental governance [39]. These are important if the full implications of austerity programmes on the national natural environments are going to be understood.…”