Book contents
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- Notes on contributors
- List of abbreviations
- 1 Introduction
- PART I Earth system analysis
- PART II Society and institutions of global; environmental change
- PART III Self-regulation of industry and the law
- PART IV The potential of the state
- 9 The diffusion of environmental policy innovations
- 10 Process-related measures and global environmental governance
- 11 The impact of the USA on regime formation and implementation
- 12 Transnational bureaucracy networks: a resource of global environmental governance?
- PART V The potential of world regions
- PART VI Formation and implementation of international regimes
- PART VII Improving the instruments of global governance
- PART VIII Fundamental concepts of institutionalising common concern
- Index
9 - The diffusion of environmental policy innovations
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 May 2010
- Frontmatter
- PREFACE
- Contents
- List of figures
- List of tables
- Notes on contributors
- List of abbreviations
- 1 Introduction
- PART I Earth system analysis
- PART II Society and institutions of global; environmental change
- PART III Self-regulation of industry and the law
- PART IV The potential of the state
- 9 The diffusion of environmental policy innovations
- 10 Process-related measures and global environmental governance
- 11 The impact of the USA on regime formation and implementation
- 12 Transnational bureaucracy networks: a resource of global environmental governance?
- PART V The potential of world regions
- PART VI Formation and implementation of international regimes
- PART VII Improving the instruments of global governance
- PART VIII Fundamental concepts of institutionalising common concern
- Index
Summary
Introduction
This chapter explores which factors drive the diffusion of environmental policy innovations. Some central assumptions made by diffusion research to date will be challenged by empirical findings taken mainly from an exploratory research project. Empirical data related to the adoption of twenty-one basic environmental policy innovations in forty-eight countries over a time period of fifty years was collected and discussed in the context of theoretical considerations and various case studies.
The chapter begins with a discussion of the conceptual distinction between diffusion and other mechanisms of convergence. There then follows a discussion of factors that may have a crucial impact on the patterns of diffusion. Within this section, interrelations with other types of global or regional governance are discussed. This includes both special features of the EU framework as well as the impact of global norms. The chapter proceeds to discuss the restrictions in the diffusion process, which heavily depend on innovation characteristics and national capacities to innovate. The chapter's main intention is to shed some light on the complex interplay of factors affecting diffusion patterns. In doing so it provides several points of departure for new research questions that are hoped to inspire the scientific debate on globalisation and policy convergence.
Diffusion as distinct mechanism of convergence
Comparative policy analysis has revealed the phenomenon that national environmental policy patterns are becoming similar. This observation immediately evokes the question of the nature of these similarities.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Multilevel Governance of Global Environmental ChangePerspectives from Science, Sociology and the Law, pp. 227 - 253Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2006
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