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Negotiation-based Policy Instruments and Performance: Dutch Covenants and Environmental Policy Outcomes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2011

Hans Bressers ,
Theo de Bruijn ,
Kris Lulofs  and
Laurence J. O'Toole Jr.
Hans Bressers*
Affiliation:
Policy Studies, University of Twente
Theo de Bruijn*
Affiliation:
Policy Studies, University of Twente
Kris Lulofs*
Affiliation:
Policy Studies, University of Twente
Laurence J. O'Toole Jr.*
Affiliation:
Public Administration, University of Georgia
*
hans bressers e-mail: j.t.a.bressers@utwente.nl
theo de bruijn e-mail: theo.debruijn@utwente.nl
kris lulofs e-mail: k.r.d.lulofs@utwente.nl, Twente Centre for Studies in Technology and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Management and Governance, University of Twente, The Netherlands
laurence j. o'toole, jr. Department of Public Administration and Policy, 204 Baldwin Hall, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA, e-mail: cmsotool@uga.edu
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Abstract

Numerous governments have adopted innovative policy instruments to deal with important environmental policy challenges and negotiated instruments offer the potential to improve performance beyond what regulation alone can accomplish. Dutch covenants, which represent negotiated agreements with sectors of industry as targets of behavioral change, provide useful evidence of the determinants of success. For improving environmental performance, certain features of the policy setting explain much of the variance in ambitions and outcomes: attitudes of decision makers in the affected businesses, attention to cost minimization, and possibly the degree of ambition built into the agreement. Modeling to explain the extent of ambition and compliance offer further insights. While some Dutch lessons may be restricted to more corporatist policy settings, others may help improve the effectiveness of negotiated agreements in many national settings.

Keywords

environmentpolicy instrumentsnegotiationNetherlandscovenants
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Public Policy , Volume 31 , Issue 2 , August 2011 , pp. 187 - 208
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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