Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management

It is axiomatic that indicator systems are indispensable in informing the societal transition toward sustainability. However, our understanding of how sustainability indicators systems are linked to policy systems and processes is still limited. Using a 'policy orientation' as an analytical strategy, we investigate the processes surrounding the creation, diffusion, dissemination, and utilisation of sustainability indicators at the national scale of policy-making. Utilising an empirical case study of Malaysia, this paper seeks to answer two questions: How are indicators currently used in policy systems; and, have sustainability indicators had policy impacts in the past? The latter is addressed using policy learning as a frame of analysis.

Some 200–300 local government agencies (LGAs) in the United States (US) use suites of indicators to monitor economic and environmental trends and social well-being, often against goals. Many reservations have been expressed about these community indicator programs (CIPs) including their internal logic such as the validity of indicators in relation to goals, the measurability and plausibility of goals and data reliability.

To test these criticisms, a formal evaluation of a CIP has been done using the well-respected Santa Monica, California, CIP as the case study. The research tests the plausibility of a CIP as well as its effectiveness. It is done using program evaluation techniques, in particular, the tool of evaluability assessment. Using Likert rating techniques against several criteria, the author finds that plausibility of the CIP is reasonably robust and that it is a particularly effective tool of governance. More important, the research yields an evaluative methodology for assessing all goal-based CIPs. It is a framework that can help strengthen existing CIPs and it is transferable to appraising similar documents. Lastly, the research offers several lessons of value to urban planners and managers including discussion of targets, regionalism and the nature of "success" in urban management.

While the reform of environmentally harmful subsidies has often been identified as a potential means to simultaneously realise environmental, economic and fiscal benefits, little guidance is available on designing possible paths for subsidy reform. This paper aims to better conceptualise a reform process for Germany. It argues that there is room for designing a broader framework for reform moving beyond isolated and, sometimes, inefficient steps at an environmentally oriented subsidy reform. To do so, the broader policy context is described, characteristics and underlying problem structures are identified and obstacles to policy reform are mentioned. As a result, a number of critical requirements for a potentially successful reform process can be formulated. Using available impact analyses as a "tool box", we draw on experiences with Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) as a useful and sufficiently flexible organisational and procedural framework for subsidy reform. Based on SEA concepts, the paper treats various important linkages, steps and actor constellations that the reform process is likely to encounter. Finally, the critical link between assessment and decision-making is addressed and some suggestions on a follow-up for the assessment process are made.

Worldwide, the increasing deterioration in urban air quality due to vehicle emissions has created the need for greater capacity in air quality management and more comprehensive knowledge about the sources and spatial and temporal distribution of vehicle emissions, without which impact studies and subsequent mitigation policy cannot be formulated. To investigate this proposition and assist with the design/development of new air quality information tools for this evolving context, this research examines the generation and use of air quality information in New Zealand, through two case studies. The first case study examines NZTER, a tool used for generating 'vehicle fleet emission rates information' used in a number of different models for air quality assessment and transport policy. The second case examines the early stages of the development and operationalisation of an integrated environmental management tool, the VFEM-w, which hopes to quantify/model the type, source and pathways of airborne pollutants entering the urban stormwater water system. While the NZTER is uncomplicated, it is inefficient and produces information of insufficient quality in the current policy-making context. The VFEM-w case illustrates the challenges of attempting to embed a conceptually and technically complex model in an existing cultural, technical and political setting. Recommendations for the use and development of air quality information tools are made and closing comments consider the issue of information quality in sustainable management.

The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the impact of the environmental stringency on trade and the foreign direct investments (FDI) in particular. To do so, both theoretical and empirical investigations are performed. During the empirical investigation, an index of environmental sensitivity performance (IESP) is constructed for the OECD countries. Additionally, the main determinants of the OECD countries' FDI outflows are also analysed alongside with the environmental sensitivity variable for the countries in the sample.

The empirical analysis in this paper finds some evidence to suggest that environmental stringency has an important impact on the FDI outflows of the OECD countries. The impact of the degree of environmental stringency on the FDI is significantly positive implying a direct relationship between FDI outflows and relative environmental sensitivity performance of the OECD countries.

Kazakhstan has shown an increase in its offshore oil and gas (O&G) prospection and operation activities in the Caspian Sea since 1998, so far with a limited number of operators, but which is about to increase significantly. This is of concern, considering that the environmental and industrial safety regulatory framework is still inadequate for the prevention of pollution from a large number of operators in a very sensitive aquatic ecosystem. This paper reports on the results of a study undertaken for the European Commission Tacis programme aimed at enhancing the environmental and industrial safety regulatory framework in order to align it with EU and international best practice. Based on a comprehensive analysis of applicable international standards and regulations, as well as those of Kazakhstan, ten issues are identified which require urgent attention. These issues are discussed and recommendations made on how to address them in order to improve the regulatory system.

Due to the rapid population growth and industrial development in Jordan, the demand on water resources for different purposes, mainly agriculture has been elevated. The shortage of fresh water resources and the high demand make the reclaimed wastewater a key factor in the water budget. This paper examines both positive and negative impacts of wastewater reuse for agriculture. Currently, Jordan has more than 27 wastewater treatment plants all over the country; the largest is As-Samra treatment plant. The objective of this article is to set a framework for optimal utilization of the said reclaimed water taking into consideration the technical, financial, economical and social aspects at the end user demand centers and the new upgrading project at the study area, in addition to promoting the anticipated findings for other similar regional cases in terms of knowledge disseminations and setting a pilot cases for neighboring countries.