The Diffusion of Environmental Policy Innovations: A Contribution to the Globalisation of Environmental Policy

WZB Working Paper No. FS II 01 - 302

36 Pages Posted: 25 Jan 2005

See all articles by Kristine Kern

Kristine Kern

WZB Berlin Social Science Center

Helge Jörgens

Environmental Policy Research Centre (FFU)

Martin Jänicke

Free University of Berlin (FUB)

Abstract

The subject of this paper is the importance of the diffusion of environmental innovations between countries for the global development of environmental policy. Empirical observation has shown that national environmental initiatives are often rapidly adopted by other countries; thus, these initiatives spread internationally. The conditions for and restrictions on the international diffusion of environmental innovations are examined on the basis of five case studies: environmental agencies and ministries, ecolabels, national environmental plans, CO2/energy taxes, and soil protection legislation. The key determinants of policy diffusion include (1) national factors (capacities for action in environmental policy, the demand for problem solutions), (2) the dynamics of the international system (the significance of front-runner countries for global policy diffusion, international organisations, transnational networks), and (3) aspects of the specific policy innovation (characteristics of policy innovation, availability of appropriate policy models, etc.).

Keywords: Policy Diffusion, Environmental Policy, Convergence, Emulation

Suggested Citation

Kern, Kristine and Jörgens, Helge and Jänicke, Martin, The Diffusion of Environmental Policy Innovations: A Contribution to the Globalisation of Environmental Policy. WZB Working Paper No. FS II 01 - 302, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=653583 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.653583

Kristine Kern

WZB Berlin Social Science Center ( email )

Reichpietschufer 50
D-10785 Berlin
Germany

Helge Jörgens (Contact Author)

Environmental Policy Research Centre (FFU) ( email )

Ihnestr. 22
Berlin, Berlin 14195
Germany

HOME PAGE: http://goo.gl/M3EuV

Martin Jänicke

Free University of Berlin (FUB) ( email )

Van't-Hoff-Str. 8
D-10785 Berlin, Berlin 14195
Germany

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