The Water Framework Directive has introduced a new governance approach that offers implementing agencies in EU Member States policy discretion to implement ecological ambitions. The aim of this paper was to gain insight into the way regional actors use this discretion and into the rationale behind their behaviour. Our research revealed that in regional implementation processes in the Netherlands, limited ecological ambitions have been framed due to several complications. These complications also occur in other EU Member States. As it might be possible to reduce some of the complications by improving collaboration, exchange and learning between the actors involved, the paper concludes by outlining the important role that communities of practice might play in the implementation process of water policy at the regional level.
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Research Article|
July 16 2011
Ecological ambitions and complications in the regional implementation of the Water Framework Directive in the Netherlands
C. Dieperink;
C. Dieperink
*
aCopernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80115, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands
*Corresponding author. E-mail: c.dieperink@geo.uu.nl
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G. T. Raadgever;
G. T. Raadgever
bGrontmij, Division Transport and Mobility, P.O. Box 203, 3730 AE De Bilt, The Netherlands
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P. P. J. Driessen;
P. P. J. Driessen
aCopernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80115, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands
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A. A. H. Smit;
A. A. H. Smit
aCopernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80115, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands
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H. F. M. W. van Rijswick
H. F. M. W. van Rijswick
cCentre for Environmental Law and Policy, Utrecht University, Achter Sint Pieter 200, 3512 HT Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Water Policy (2012) 14 (1): 160–173.
Article history
Received:
October 29 2010
Accepted:
May 09 2011
Citation
C. Dieperink, G. T. Raadgever, P. P. J. Driessen, A. A. H. Smit, H. F. M. W. van Rijswick; Ecological ambitions and complications in the regional implementation of the Water Framework Directive in the Netherlands. Water Policy 1 February 2012; 14 (1): 160–173. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/wp.2011.223
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