Conference Themes
The Conference addressed the following themes:
Theme #1: Principles of Environmental Enforcement
This presentation at the Third International Conference provided the participants with a common
point of reference for subsequent workshops and discussions. The Principles of Environmental
Enforcement text was designed for international use and developed for the international course
"Principles of Environmental Compliance and Enforcement." A synopsis of the text was
presented at the second International Conference on Environmental Enforcement, held in
Budapest, and has subsequently been adopted as a general framework for international exchange.
It covers definitions of compliance and enforcement, elements and principles, and sets forth a
general framework and range of options for addressing each element of the framework. The text
explores the importance of compliance and enforcement concerns, the range of motivations
affecting compliance behaviors and the need to tailor compliance and enforcement strategies to
the specific circumstances and problems presented. Specifically, it covers:
- Defining Compliance and Enforcement
- The need to consider compliance and enforcement at every stage in the development and implementation of environmental laws and programs; and
- Philosophy of compliance, enforcement theories, whether and how culture makes a difference, etc.
- General Framework for Compliance and Enforcement
- Designing enforceable requirements;
- Identifying the regulated universe and setting priorities;
- Promoting compliance through enforceable requirements, technical assistance, and outreach;
- Monitoring compliance;
- Establishing and using enforcement authorities;
- Defining intergovernmental roles; and
- Establishing accountability and measuring results.
The text is printed in its entirety in the Proceedings from the second International Conference on Environmental Enforcement and is summarized here along with the history of international Conference Workshops and other exchanges on environmental enforcement.
Theme #2: Environmental Enforcement Challenges
Papers and presentations addressed the following issues:
- The circumstances that gave rise to the decision to create an environmental enforcement
program: what were the impetus and/or impediments?
- Issues that arose in organizing a program, what options were considered and selected, and why.
- Particular challenges facing developing nations and others trying to establish effective environmental enforcement programs, including issues such as economic and political uncertainty, level of support for environment, tradition of enforcement and compliance, and limitations on availability of human resources with necessary skills and experience in the field.
- Where appropriate, how these challenges were met in determining where to begin, what
resources would be brought to bear, how to establish priorities, how to follow through
effectively on problems found, and what human and financial resources were needed.
What were some of the considerations made in deciding how to develop or acquire those
resources?
Theme #3: Country Experiences in Designing Elements of an Enforcement Program
Papers and presentations addressed a specific aspect of developing the institutional capacity for an environmental enforcement program. The papers served to introduce the topics covered in the Institution-Building (UNEP) Workshops on Day Three and offered specific examples of how each country has solved an organizational or human resource problem in designing a compliance and enforcement program. The papers addressed each aspect of the enforcement program being discussed:
- How the approach was selected, how the approach evolved over time, and what other
approaches were considered; and
- Whether the program represents a minimum resource expense for the benefits it delivers.
Theme #4: Experiences in Compliance and Enforcement
Papers and presentations were solicited from all the participants for publication in the
proceedings, and several were selected for short presentations during the plenary session. These
papers ideally presented an environmental problem; a comprehensive enforcement approach and
its development and implementation history; and statistics and other information on
environmental and enforcement successes in terms of cost to implement, cost to industry, and
compliance and environmental results. Presentations analyzed factors that lead to successful
results and explored implications for using the same approach in other settings.
Theme #5: The Role of Communication in an Enforcement Program
- Papers and presentations addressed how effective communication is used to enhance
enforcement program deterrence. For example, communication can be used to stimulate
enforcers, provide the necessary political support for enforcement to take place, provide
confidence to and support decisions by judges, and spur the regulated community to
comply. Communication may also be used to create public interest.
- Papers also addressed the importance and use of public outreach and statistics to gain
support for compliance and enforcement both in the public at large and within the
regulated community, as well as some of the problems and difficulties in gaining public
attention and support. The grouping of several enforcement actions to enhance
communication and attention to enforcement and focus on environmental results was also
evaluated in terms of what makes for success or failure.
Theme #6: Establishing International Networks
Papers and presentations described current efforts to develop international support networks for
enforcement, including:
- What was the genesis of the network?
- What was/is involved in developing and maintaining the network?
- Who is asked to participate and at what levels in the organizations?
- What subjects does the network cover?
- What vehicles are used for exchange?
- On what topics is exchange taking place?
- What future directions and changes are anticipated for the network?
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