Rethinking environmental policy
The EU has always espoused ways to inspire research in different areas, and environmental policy is no exception. The EU-funded project 'Environmental policy integration and multi-level governance' (Epigov) coordinated research on environmental policy integration (EPI) and created a platform for researchers to share results, research methods and future initiatives. The project outlined and coordinated EPI research and governance on local, national and EU levels. It also identified research needs on EPI and multi-level governance followed by dissemination of results. Epigov brought together experienced and new researchers, particularly from Central and Eastern Europe, together with policymakers, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and business leaders. It hosted three key conferences and a final policy conference in early 2009. The project's results and cutting-edge reports revealed a lack of knowledge on EPI and governance of the sector, yet provided important data for analysing EPI from a governance perspective. Epigov found that strong departmentalisation of policymaking represents the most important obstacle to EPI, followed by federalism and multi-level governance, even if they could also provide opportunities for EPI. The project team also found that EPI governance practices were based mostly on learning and voluntarism, akin to strategic management styles. More successful EPI governance was seen within hierarchical governance styles. Overall, efforts to improve EPI have been modest, plagued as well by weak knowledge transfer. To improve EPI, Epigov recommended more serious study of factors related to political culture. It found that EPI policies must increasingly rely on measures affecting the attitudes of sectoral actors. Policymakers and stakeholders must encourage stronger integration of EPI into 'traditional' environmental policymaking. Lastly, flexible and participatory environmental instruments, which create new opportunities for the environment on a sectoral level, could have positive secondary effects on EPI. If the project's results are investigated and its recommendations are adopted, environmental policy can only improve and create better societies to live in.
