Who shapes the environmental policy in the global south? Unpacking the reality of Nepal
Article
Article Title | Who shapes the environmental policy in the global south? Unpacking the reality of Nepal |
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ERA Journal ID | 36370 |
Article Category | Article |
Authors | Aryal, Kishor (Author), Laudari, Hari Krishna (Author), Neupane, Prem Raj (Author) and Maraseni, Tek (Author) |
Journal Title | Environmental Science and Policy |
Journal Citation | 121, pp. 78-88 |
Number of Pages | 11 |
Year | 2021 |
Publisher | Elsevier |
Place of Publication | United States |
ISSN | 1462-9011 |
1873-6416 | |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2021.04.008 |
Web Address (URL) | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1462901121001052 |
Abstract | Environmental policy is crucial for defining the scope of conservation and development at the local, national, and international level. Because of its broader framework for balancing conservation and development, environmental policy is considered as the concern of all actors representing multiple disciplines, ranging from environmentalists to development professionals. However, the current practice of environmental policy-making is blamed to be government monolithic and expert-based, which ignored the importance of local communities. In this context, we aimed to analyze the architecture of policy stakeholders and actors’ constellation in the environmental policy-making process in the global south, by taking a case of Nepal. We reviewed national environmental policy milestones (n = 5) and scientific literature (n = 48) and undertook key informant interviews (n = 25) with seven policy stakeholder groups. The developmental history of environmental policy was reviewed from the perspective of policy actors and institutions. We found an increasing involvement of non-governmental (as well as donor) actors in setting the context and framing of the environmental policies. However, the selection of tools of actions of environmental policy was dominated by the discursive sphere of government officials, experts, and international organizations. In addition, implementation mechanisms and institutional arrangements for the transformation of policy objectives into implementation were largely subjugated by government officials, which in turn obstructed in the achievement of the policy outcomes and led to policy failure. We recommend adopting transdisciplinary policy-making approach to solve the complex environmental issues and development imperatives of the country. |
Keywords | environmental policy; policy actors; environmental discourse; government officials; international organizations |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 410404. Environmental management |
Public Notes | Files associated with this item cannot be displayed due to copyright restrictions. |
Institution of Origin | University of Southern Queensland |
Byline Affiliations | Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forests and Environment, Nepal |
University of Southern Queensland | |
Ministry of Forests and Environment, Nepal | |
University of Hamburg, Germany | |
Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Systems |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q64y8/who-shapes-the-environmental-policy-in-the-global-south-unpacking-the-reality-of-nepal
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