Multi-level governance, polycentricity, power, and EU environmental policy

Eckersley, P ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9048-8529, 2025. Multi-level governance, polycentricity, power, and EU environmental policy. In: Zito, AR and Domorenok, E, eds., De Gruyter handbook on European Union environmental policy. De Gruyter. (Forthcoming)

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Abstract

Power relations between governing actors play a key role in decision-making. However, the literatures on polycentric, monocentric and multilevel governance have often neglected the importance of these relationships in shaping policy outcomes. This chapter places a broad understanding of power – one that incorporates power over power to and power with – in the centre of these debates. It shows how these three different conceptualisations of power correspond to more monocentric, polycentric and multilevel governance perspectives respectively, as well as a preference for different types of policy instrument (namely ‘sticks’, ‘sermons’ and ‘carrots’). By bringing these literatures together, and drawing on examples from EU environmental policy over recent decades, the chapter presents a heuristic framework for understanding the linkages between typologies of power, governance and policy instruments. The framework can help to organise future research into (environmental) policy and governance – both within the EU and more broadly.

Item Type:	Chapter in book
Creators:	Eckersley, P.
Publisher:	De Gruyter
Date:	13 January 2025
Identifiers:	Number Type 2346186 Other
Divisions:	Schools > Nottingham Business School
Record created by:	Jonathan Gallacher
Date Added:	21 Jan 2025 16:24
Last Modified:	21 Jan 2025 16:24
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/52882

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