1. Governance or Government? Explaining Pathways to Nature Protection in New EU Member States.
- Author
-
Keilbach, Patricia
- Subjects
- *
INTERNATIONAL cooperation , *INTERNATIONAL relations , *ENVIRONMENTAL policy , *GOVERNMENT policy , *GEOPOLITICS - Abstract
Continued integration of the European Union calls for coordination among member states. While coordination implies achieving common goals, few specifications exist on the means to achieve desired outcomes. New EU member states enjoy flexibility in determining the pathway to environmental policy reform and this is reflected in their particular choices for the implementation of key EU environmental directives. One of the central debates in political science centers on the level of government: How much is enough? Does successful environmental protection require a laissez-faire or regulatory state? Who is involved in the decisionmaking and how does the mix of actors impact policy choices and outcomes? While Brussels is making decisions with an eye toward its member states, creative innovations are emerging at the state and local levels. Indeed, member states respond to Brussels, but the strength, timing, and type of response varies considerably across states. Several factors including historical experience, institutional processes, civil society, and geopolitical pull impact state responses and explain well why states have chosen particular paths for achieving common regional environmental protection goals. ..PAT.-Conference Proceeding [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2006