Title: Making climate policy efficient: implementing a model for environmental policy efficiency

Authors: Sven Ove Hansson; Karin Edvardsson Björnberg; Maria Vredin Johansson

Addresses: Division of Philosophy, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Teknikringen 78, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden ' Division of Philosophy, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Teknikringen 78, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden ' Department of Economics, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 513, SE-751 20 Uppsala, Sweden

Abstract: We propose a framework for studies of efficiency in environmental policies in the form of a conceptual policy cycle. The policy cycle's six major elements are goal-setting, choice of policy instruments, enforcement, changes in behaviour of public and private agents, effects of policy measures and, finally, evaluation. Through iterating the policy cycle (or parts of it), efficiency in environmental policies can be improved. We apply the policy cycle to climate policies, both mitigation and adaptation, and identify important areas for future research.

Keywords: environmental policy; policy cycle; environmental efficiency; mitigation; adaptation; goal-setting; voluntary agreements; economic instruments; regulation enforcement; behavioural change; policy effects; policy evaluation; climate policy; policy efficiency.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSOC.2015.068072

International Journal of Sustainable Society, 2015 Vol.7 No.1, pp.1 - 21

Published online: 31 Mar 2015 *

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