POL 358 Week 2 Public Policy and the Environment Issues and Perspectives

Today’s lecture Overview of public policy Overview of public policy The 5 Ws The 5 Ws Environmental policy making and assessment. Environmental policy making and assessment. New issues and trends New issues and trends

Public Policy Definition “ A course of action or inaction chosen by public authorities to address a given problem (or opportunity) or set of interrelated problems.” (Pal, Ch 1) Q: Key policy issues for Canada?

Public Policy Rationale Public policies provide guidance for governments and accountability to citizens. Demonstrate intent and provide a way to measure effectiveness of government. Counter market/social failures and problems (PE debate). Reduce the number of ad-hoc/haphazard decisions. Take actions in the ‘public interest’ (contested).

Public Policy Ways to study Ways to study The process The process The outcomes (evaluation) The outcomes (evaluation) The actors The actors The issues The issues Normative vs positive policy analysis Normative vs positive policy analysis Rational/linear/deductive vs complex/contextual/inductive Rational/linear/deductive vs complex/contextual/inductive

Levels of policy/ policy analysis Local/Municipal Local/Municipal Provincial Provincial National National International International

Public Policy Who makes public policy? Who makes public policy? Policy communities/networks Policy communities/networks Bureaucrats Bureaucrats Courts Courts Elected officials Elected officials Domestic/international actors Domestic/international actors The public, civil society, NGOs The public, civil society, NGOs

Agenda-setting “Out of the set of all conceivable subjects or problems to which officials could be paying attention, they do in fact seriously attend to some rather than others. So the agenda-setting process narrows this set of conceivable subjects to the set that actually becomes the focus of attention.” (Kingdon, 1984: 3-4) “Out of the set of all conceivable subjects or problems to which officials could be paying attention, they do in fact seriously attend to some rather than others. So the agenda-setting process narrows this set of conceivable subjects to the set that actually becomes the focus of attention.” (Kingdon, 1984: 3-4)

Problem/Issue Definition All problem definitions have a causal character. In the story of what the problem is we have ideas about why we got there. Shaped by values, by philosophies, ideologies. Not just a matter of ‘simple’ problem identification and efficient solving.

Types of Reasoning (Pal p.17)

Science and Policy The difficulty with ‘facts’ and ‘experts’- whose experts?. The difficulty with ‘facts’ and ‘experts’- whose experts?. Tension between bureaucracy and scientists. Tension between bureaucracy and scientists. Diversity of opinions between scientists. Diversity of opinions between scientists. Trust, uncertainty and authority (black box). Trust, uncertainty and authority (black box). Principle-agent problems. Principle-agent problems. Rent-seeking behaviour. Rent-seeking behaviour.

Considerations for tools What tools exist; What is acceptable (culturally, financially, NAFTA, separation of powers); What is feasible; and What you think will work.

Policy Evaluation Criteria for evaluation and problem definition are very important. Criteria for evaluation and problem definition are very important. Consistency is a real issue- internal, vertical, horizontal. Common tools of measurement Common tools of measurement Quantitative/Qualitative Quantitative/Qualitative GDP growth GDP growth Job creation/Employment figures Job creation/Employment figures Good policy analysis is: Good policy analysis is: Self critical/aware of bias. Self critical/aware of bias. Systematic. Systematic.

Trends affecting Public Policy Globalization of the economy and of trade. Globalization of the economy and of trade. Internationalization of environmental and nature protection. Internationalization of environmental and nature protection. Privatization and a changing understanding of the role of the state. Privatization and a changing understanding of the role of the state. Participation of stakeholders and the public. Participation of stakeholders and the public. Influence of non-governmental organizations in public decisions. Influence of non-governmental organizations in public decisions. Diversification of society’s demand for goods and services. Diversification of society’s demand for goods and services.

Environmental Policy Problem definition - what’s the issue? Problem definition - what’s the issue? Security, health, economic, social, moral. Security, health, economic, social, moral. Policy communities/actors Policy communities/actors Jurisdictional issues Jurisdictional issues Policy analysis tools (old and new) Policy analysis tools (old and new) Challenges Challenges Interdisciplinarity (Howlett) Interdisciplinarity (Howlett) Intertemporality (Fuji-Johnson) Intertemporality (Fuji-Johnson) Uncertainty (Beck) Uncertainty (Beck)

Summary Ethical rationale for environmental policy: Ethical rationale for environmental policy: Enlightened self-interest. Enlightened self-interest. Obligation as a member of community. Obligation as a member of community. Public policy Public policy Study of what governments do, and Study of what governments do, and The ideas which inform the ‘possible’ and define the issues. The ideas which inform the ‘possible’ and define the issues. QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS?