From environmental policy concepts to practicable tools: Knowledge creation and delegation in multilevel systems

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Tosun, Jale; De Francesco, Fabrizio; Peters, B. Guy
• 署名单位: Ruprecht Karls University Heidelberg; University of Strathclyde; Pennsylvania Commonwealth System of Higher Education (PCSHE); University of Pittsburgh
• 刊物名称: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0033-3298
• DOI: 10.1111/padm.12544
• 发表日期: 2019
• 页码: 399-412
• 关键词: global public-policy; european-union; transfer agents; integration; governance; implementation; ORGANIZATION; COOPERATION; performance; leadership

摘要

The problem-solving capacity and problem-generating potential of multilevel systems entail the need for the delegation of authority. When the problem concerned is about how to put an abstract policy concept into a practicable policy tool, the choice of the respective delegation trajectory depends on the policy models or the policy-relevant knowledge that the respective political levels can supply. When regarding the European Union (EU) level as the starting point of knowledge creation and delegation trajectories, and concentrating on transaction costs, policy knowledge and models generated at the international level provide the most cost-effective solution. Only when the international level is not able to provide further policy knowledge and innovation does the EU delegate its definitional authority, first downward to the member states and then sideways to EU agencies. We illustrate the plausibility of our dynamic understanding of multilevel governance by using Environmental Policy Integration as an example.