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Policy evaluation

Mickwitz, Per LU (2021) p.241-258
Abstract
In order to develop new environmental policies, it is important first to evaluate those that have already been used. However, this intuitively simple idea is difficult to apply in practice, no more so than in the complex governance context of the EU. Attributing impacts to specific policies is challenging, and making evaluations useful for political decision making is even more demanding. Five approaches for dealing with these challenges are discussed, namely: side-effect evaluation; intervention theories; triangulation; multi-criteria analysis; and participation-based evaluation. How and why these approaches are (or are not) utilized in the EU is described and assessed. Recently, emphasis on retrospective evaluation has increased in the... (More)
In order to develop new environmental policies, it is important first to evaluate those that have already been used. However, this intuitively simple idea is difficult to apply in practice, no more so than in the complex governance context of the EU. Attributing impacts to specific policies is challenging, and making evaluations useful for political decision making is even more demanding. Five approaches for dealing with these challenges are discussed, namely: side-effect evaluation; intervention theories; triangulation; multi-criteria analysis; and participation-based evaluation. How and why these approaches are (or are not) utilized in the EU is described and assessed. Recently, emphasis on retrospective evaluation has increased in the EU, and the focus has broadened from evaluating expenditure programmes to legislation and other non-spending policies. Nonetheless, more effort is needed to create a well-established culture of policy evaluation in the EU.
This is an updated version of the chapter included in the 3rd edition, published in 2013. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
alternative title
Utvärdering av offentlig förvaltning
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Utvärdering, miljöpolitik, Europeiska Unionen
host publication
Environmental Policy in the EU : Actors, Institutions and Processes - Actors, Institutions and Processes
editor
Jordan, Andrew and Gravey, Viviane
edition
4
pages
241 - 258
publisher
Routledge-Earthscan
external identifiers
  • scopus:85108205435
ISBN
978-0-429-40233-3
978-1-138-39214-4
978-1-138-39216-8
DOI
10.4324/9780429402333-14
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
470ac12b-aa90-4cb7-bcc6-1bba4a471503
date added to LUP
2021-05-23 18:11:14
date last changed
2025-03-09 13:11:21
@inbook{470ac12b-aa90-4cb7-bcc6-1bba4a471503,
  abstract     = {{In order to develop new environmental policies, it is important first to evaluate those that have already been used. However, this intuitively simple idea is difficult to apply in practice, no more so than in the complex governance context of the EU. Attributing impacts to specific policies is challenging, and making evaluations useful for political decision making is even more demanding. Five approaches for dealing with these challenges are discussed, namely: side-effect evaluation; intervention theories; triangulation; multi-criteria analysis; and participation-based evaluation. How and why these approaches are (or are not) utilized in the EU is described and assessed. Recently, emphasis on retrospective evaluation has increased in the EU, and the focus has broadened from evaluating expenditure programmes to legislation and other non-spending policies. Nonetheless, more effort is needed to create a well-established culture of policy evaluation in the EU.<br/>This is an updated version of the chapter included in the 3rd edition, published in 2013.}},
  author       = {{Mickwitz, Per}},
  booktitle    = {{Environmental Policy in the EU : Actors, Institutions and Processes}},
  editor       = {{Jordan, Andrew and Gravey, Viviane}},
  isbn         = {{978-0-429-40233-3}},
  keywords     = {{Utvärdering; miljöpolitik; Europeiska Unionen}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  pages        = {{241--258}},
  publisher    = {{Routledge-Earthscan}},
  title        = {{Policy evaluation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780429402333-14}},
  doi          = {{10.4324/9780429402333-14}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}