Changes in European Union environmental policy-making
Multi-level governance from a local urban perspective
Currently the influence of European Union (EU) environmental policy with regard to the urban environment is growing significantly. As a result urban environmental governance is increasingly functioning within institutional frameworks strongly influenced by the EU. Consequences of this extending framework differ strongly. Among them are consequences that can undermine the potential for urban governance to result in effective and practicable environmental policies. This relates to differences between the EU environmental policy arrangement and the arrangements that address the often quite complex and specific issues in urban areas.
On a EU level generic targets or obligations that are little or not at all sensitive to local variations are not uncommon. Instead, local environmental policy is increasingly focused on taking the specific local circumstances into account by developing situation-specific policies. Given the flexibility needed for these policies, conflicts between EU issued uniform environmental obligations and local environmental planning are rather obvious. This is being shown by the example of the current local implementation and use of EU air-quality standards on nitrogen oxides and small particles. This shows how EU environmental policies can have far-reaching consequences locally. From cases in Dutch and Flemish practice it is shown that there is an actual risk of paralyzing local urban development due a strict implementation of EU air-quality standards.
Finally examples are given as to how the tensions between EU environmental policies and local urban governance can be alleviated. The concept of multi-level governance – as a concept that illustrates how different levels of government and a variety of stakeholders function together in policy-making – is used to give a theoretical framework in this. The concepts of proportionality and subsidiarity are used to show opportunities that exist to alleviate the tensions mentioned while working in a multi-level governance structure.
| Jaar van uitgave: | 2005 |
| Uitgever: | AESOP Congrespaper |
| Auteurs: |
Christian Zuidema |
| Onderzoek: | Liveable Cities |
| Download: | Download Paper |