Brendan Flynn

Is local truly better? Some reflections on sharing environmental policy between local governments and the EU

This paper discusses the appropriate role for local governments in relation to EU environmental policy. The discussion is framed through a critical examination of the principle of subsidiarity. Firstly due to the way the member states have defined the principle there is a danger of inconsistency in its application. Secondly, across Europe there is mixed evidence to suggest local governments cope well with having to do more in environmental policy. Indeed a sensible balance between the local, regional, national and EU level seems at risk of being undermined if subsidiarity is taken too far. This paper argues that more appropriate roles for local governments might be to contribute to policy innovation and better implementation. What seems more needed is an approach that systematically improves intergovernmental relationships in environmental policy across Europe. Specific reforms suggested include expanding Commission led networking while making it more accountable and democratic, as well as including indicative responsibilities for local governments in future framework directives. Copyright

Ecological modernisation of a ‘Cinderella renewable’? The emerging politics of global ocean energy

Ideologies, instruments and institutions that promote ocean energies (OE), a marine renewable including wave and tidal devices technologies, are examined within an ecological modernisation (EM) perspective. EM type arguments provide ideological justification for OE projects, but are vulnerable to environmental and cost critiques. Already, large tidal barrage projects have faced opposition from environmentalists, even though they offer significant generation capacity. Unlike wind energy, where grassroots activists played a vital role, the strongest institutional advocates for OE are larger firms, universities, and specialist agencies, together with sub-national governments. Regarding instruments, the overall amount of subsidies combined with political support seems more important than feed-in tariffs. Given a backlash against renewables and a competing offshore wind sector, it remains unclear whether a ‘blue growth’ ecological modernisation strategy can promote what remains a Cinderella renewable.

The EU’s Maritime Security Strategy: a Neo-Medieval Perspective on the Limits of Soft Security?

Abstract This paper offers a critical interpretation of the EU’s recent Maritime Security Strategy (MSS) of 2014, making distinctions between hard and soft conceptions of maritime security. The theoretical approach employed invokes the ‘EU as neo-medieval empire’ (Bull 1977: 254-255; Rennger 2006; Zielonka 2006). By this account, the main objectives of EU maritime strategy are stability and encouragement of globalised maritime trade flows to be achieved using the classic instruments of ‘soft maritime security’. While replete with great possibilities, the EU’s maritime security strategy is likely to be a relatively weak maritime security regime, which suffers from a number of important limits.

Environmental Policy in the EU: Actors, Institutions and Processes

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