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Rationalising the Policy Mess? Ex Ante Policy Assessment and the Utilisation of Knowledge in the Policy Process

Author

Listed:
  • Julia Hertin

    (Department of Political and Social Sciences, Environmental Policy Research Centre, Ihnestrasse 22, 14195 Berlin, Germany)

  • John Turnpenny
  • Andrew Jordan
  • Mans Nilsson

    (Stockholm Environment Institute, Kräftriket 2B, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Duncan Russel

    (School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, England)

  • Björn Nykvist

    (Stockholm Environment Institute, Kräftriket 2B, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden)

Abstract

Procedures for the ex ante assessment of public policies are currently in vogue across the OECD. Their design is typically informed by a rational-instrumental model of problem solving, which assumes that knowledge is collected, evaluated, and then translated straightforwardly into ‘better policies’. But this model has been little affected by more than three decades of academic research which has demonstrated that the reality of everyday policy making is far messier. In this paper we analyse whether the uptake of ex ante assessment of policies is nonetheless capable of creating opportunities for policy deliberation and learning informed by new assessment knowledge. Drawing on an analysis of policy assessment procedures in three countries and the European Union, we find that there are several ways in which assessment knowledge is used in the policy process. Moreover, we argue that policy learning occurs despite, rather than because of, the instrumental design of new assessment procedures, which tends to act as a barrier to open deliberation and knowledge utilisation.

Suggested Citation

  • Julia Hertin & John Turnpenny & Andrew Jordan & Mans Nilsson & Duncan Russel & Björn Nykvist, 2009. "Rationalising the Policy Mess? Ex Ante Policy Assessment and the Utilisation of Knowledge in the Policy Process," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 41(5), pages 1185-1200, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:41:y:2009:i:5:p:1185-1200
    DOI: 10.1068/a40266
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lee, Norman & Kirkpatrick, Colin, 2004. "A Pilot Study of the Quality of European Commission Extended Impact Assessment," Impact Assessment Research Centre (IARC) Working Papers 30580, University of Manchester, Institute for Development Policy and Management (IDPM).
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    1. Kerr, Niall & Gouldson, Andy & Barrett, John, 2017. "The rationale for energy efficiency policy: Assessing the recognition of the multiple benefits of energy efficiency retrofit policy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 212-221.
    2. Nilsson, Måns & Persson, Åsa, 2012. "Can Earth system interactions be governed? Governance functions for linking climate change mitigation with land use, freshwater and biodiversity protection," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 61-71.
    3. Tom Waas & Jean Huge & Thomas BLOCK & Tarah Wright & Francisco Javier Benitez Capistros & Aviel Verbruggen, 2014. "Sustainability assessment and indicators: Tools in a decision-making strategy for sustainable development," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/189410, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    4. Vaissière, Anne-Charlotte & Levrel, Harold & Pioch, Sylvain & Carlier, Antoine, 2014. "Biodiversity offsets for offshore wind farm projects: The current situation in Europe," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 172-183.
    5. Jean Hugé & Nibedita Mukherjee & Camille Fertel & Jean-Philippe Waaub & Thomas Block & Tom Waas & Nico Koedam & Farid Dahdouh-Guebas, 2015. "Conceptualizing the Effectiveness of Sustainability Assessment in Development Cooperation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(5), pages 1-17, May.
    6. Nilsson, Måns & Persson, Åsa, 2012. "Reprint of “Can Earth system interactions be governed? Governance functions for linking climate change mitigation with land use, freshwater and biodiversity protection”," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 10-20.
    7. Andreas Endl, 2017. "Addressing “Wicked Problems” through Governance for Sustainable Development—A Comparative Analysis of National Mineral Policy Approaches in the European Union," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-22, October.
    8. Abrams, Jesse & Becker, Dennis & Kudrna, Jordan & Moseley, Cassandra, 2017. "Does policy matter? The role of policy systems in forest bioenergy development in the United States," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 41-48.
    9. Reidsma, Pytrik & Janssen, Sander & Jansen, Jacques & van Ittersum, Martin K., 2018. "On the development and use of farm models for policy impact assessment in the European Union – A review," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 111-125.

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