Abstract
Lockhart-Mummery argues that the conditions in the 2010s were emerging for radical reform of UK environmental regulations to more effectively integrate environmental outcomes into the working of the economy. Initial steps have been taken across UK administrations. In England, early progress has included redesigning all environmental guidance around its users, simplifying data reporting and designing (but not yet implementing) a long-term framework for environmental policy and law. In Scotland, reform started with developing a single framework for environmental permits and is deepening through ‘One Planet Prosperity’ the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s regulatory strategy. In Wales, the Environment (Wales) Act 2016 develops a holistic framework for assessing and developing policy for the environment. Brexit now creates an unprecedented opportunity and imperative for a much bolder approach to reshape environmental policy, regulation and law to the benefit of UK public, environment and business.
Keywords
- Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
- Department Of Energy And Climate Change (DECC)
- Rural Affairs
- Food Environment
- Government Digital Service
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Notes
- 1.
Twenty-thousand pages of environmental guidance (reduced from 100,000 through the smarter guidance reforms), 200 permissions or reporting requirements, dozens of inspection regimes and 2377 environmental offences or sanctions.
- 2.
At the time of publishing Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) and department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) had merged to form the department for business, energy and industrial strategy (BEIS).
- 3.
This is an expanded list from the list included by the author here https://quarterly.blog.gov.uk/2015/09/10/clearing-the-thicket/.
- 4.
For example, meeting in Stirling at SEPA on 18 April 2017.
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Lockhart-Mummery, E. (2018). Steps Towards Radically Smarter Regulation in the UK (2012–2017). In: Foreman, J. (eds) Developments in Environmental Regulation . Palgrave Studies in Environmental Policy and Regulation . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61937-8_4
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