Environmental Governance: The Challenge of Legitimacy and Effectiveness

Environmental policymaking has become an experimental field for new modes of governance. This timely book focuses on three prominent characteristics of new governance arrangements: the broad participation of non-state actors, the attempt to improve vertical and horizontal coordination, and the effort to integrate different types of expertise in an effective and democratically accountable way. Building on the analytical perspectives of legitimacy and effectiveness, which are seen as genuine acid test criteria for new governance, this book provides a critical assessment of current practices of participation, coordination and evidence-based policymaking in various case studies of environmental governance, in particular in the fields of biodiversity, climate and forest policy. The book provides insights from selected governance processes that go beyond consultancy-style best-practice examples but are embedded in a solid conceptual and theoretical discussion that will be invaluable to policymakers. It will also prove essential for scholars interested in environmental politics; policy studies; public policy; public administration; European politics; as well as science and technology studies. Contributors: S. Beck, M. Bocher, T.E. Boon, L. Giessen, K. Hogl, K. Kassioumis, M. Krott, E. Kvarda, D.H. Lund, I. Nathan, J. Newig, R. Nordbeck, K. Papageorgiou, M. Pregernig, S. Storch, M. Vakkas, S. Weiland

Table of Contents:
Contents: Preface INTRODUCTION 1. Legitimacy and Effectiveness of Environmental Governance – Concepts and Perspectives Karl Hogl, Eva Kvarda, Ralf Nordbeck and Michael Pregernig PART I: THE CHALLENGE OF PARTICIPATION 2. Participation in Environmental Governance: Legitimate and Effective? Jens Newig and Eva Kvarda 3. More Effective Natural Resource Management through Participatory Governance? Taking Stock of the Conceptual and Empirical Literature – and Moving Forward Jens Newig 4. Legitimacy and Policy Effectiveness of National Strategies for Sustainability in Austria Eva Kvarda and Ralf Nordbeck 5. The National Park Process in Denmark: A Network Governance Approach to Democratize Nature Policy-making? Tove E. Boon, Iben Nathan and Dorthe H. Lund PART II: THE CHALLENGE OF POLICY COORDINATION 6. The Challenge of Coordination: Bridging Horizontal and Vertical Boundaries Karl Hogl and Ralf Nordbeck 7. The Shift from Hierarchy to Governance in National Park Management: Analysing Participation, Coordination and Political Commitment Kostas Papageorgiou, Kostas Kassioumis and Michael Vakkas 8. Temporary Governance and Persistent Government: Rural Policy Integration in Pilot and Mainstream Funding Programs Lukas Giessen 9. Reflexive Governance: A Way Forward for Coordinated Natural Resource Policy? Sabine Weiland PART III: THE CHALLENGES OF SCIENCE-POLICY INTEGRATION 10. Normative and Analytical Perspectives on the Role of Science and Expertise in Environmental Governance Michael Pregernig and Michael Böcher 11. From Truth to Trust: Lessons Learned from ‘Climategate’ Silke Beck 12. Scientific and Local Knowledge in the Danish National Park Process Dorthe H. Lund 13. Institutionalization of Accountability within Mission-oriented Research: The Example of the ‘Decision Support System Forest and Climate Change’ Sabine Storch, Max Krott and Michael Böcher CONCLUSIONS 14. Effectiveness and Legitimacy of Environmental Governance – Synopsis of Key Insights Karl Hogl, Eva Kvarda, Ralf Nordbeck and Michael Pregernig Index

About the Author :
Edited by Karl Hogl, Professor in Environmental and Natural Resource Policy, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria, Eva Kvarda, Researcher, Institute of Forest, Environmental and Natural Resource Policy, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria, Ralf Nordbeck, Senior Researcher, Institute of Forest, Environmental and Natural Resource Policy, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria and Michael Pregernig, Professor in Environmental Governance, Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg, Germany

Review :
’An imaginative and stimulating collection of essays that makes an indispensable contribution to the literature on forest and environmental policy and governance.’ - David Humphreys, The Open University, UK ’This is a very timely, relevant and interesting volume. Environmental problems are pertinent problems, as the book rightly states, so we need continuous attention and effort to analyse and apply environmental governance modes. Although urgently needed, their effectiveness and legitimacy are neither straight forward nor given. Therefore, a thorough in-depth analysis of these modes, their characteristics and their pros and cons is very helpful, both for academics and policy makers. This is exactly what this book offers.’ - Bas Arts, Wageningen University and Research Centre, The Netherlands