Beyond the Member State: Subnational Infringements of European Environmental Directives

This dissertation examines the extent to which subnational authorities comply with European environmental directives. Problematic implementation of EU environmental legislation is well-known, but continued noncompliance with EU environmental legislation, evident in water and air quality, waste manag...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Wilhelm, Marie-Thérèse
Tipo de recurso: tesis doctoral
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2024
País:España
Institución:CBUC, CESCA
Repositorio:TDR. Tesis Doctorales en Red
OAI Identifier:oai:www.tdx.cat:10803/693729
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10803/693729
Access Level:acceso embargado
Palabra clave:Compliance
Directives
European Union
Environment
Implementation
Infringement
Mixed methods
Subnational authorities
Autoritats subnacionals
Compliment
Implementació
Infracció
Mètodes mixtos
UE
32
id ES_f8d45f1fdfa51e65307dbfab45fd3614
oai_identifier_str oai:www.tdx.cat:10803/693729
network_acronym_str ES
network_name_str España
repository_id_str
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Beyond the Member State: Subnational Infringements of European Environmental Directives
title Beyond the Member State: Subnational Infringements of European Environmental Directives
spellingShingle Beyond the Member State: Subnational Infringements of European Environmental Directives
Wilhelm, Marie-Thérèse
Compliance
Directives
European Union
Environment
Implementation
Infringement
Mixed methods
Subnational authorities
Autoritats subnacionals
Compliment
Implementació
Infracció
Mètodes mixtos
UE
32
title_short Beyond the Member State: Subnational Infringements of European Environmental Directives
title_full Beyond the Member State: Subnational Infringements of European Environmental Directives
title_fullStr Beyond the Member State: Subnational Infringements of European Environmental Directives
title_full_unstemmed Beyond the Member State: Subnational Infringements of European Environmental Directives
title_sort Beyond the Member State: Subnational Infringements of European Environmental Directives
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Wilhelm, Marie-Thérèse
author Wilhelm, Marie-Thérèse
author_facet Wilhelm, Marie-Thérèse
author_role author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Arregui, Javier
Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Departament de Ciències Polítiques i Socials
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Compliance
Directives
European Union
Environment
Implementation
Infringement
Mixed methods
Subnational authorities
Autoritats subnacionals
Compliment
Implementació
Infracció
Mètodes mixtos
UE
32
topic Compliance
Directives
European Union
Environment
Implementation
Infringement
Mixed methods
Subnational authorities
Autoritats subnacionals
Compliment
Implementació
Infracció
Mètodes mixtos
UE
32
description This dissertation examines the extent to which subnational authorities comply with European environmental directives. Problematic implementation of EU environmental legislation is well-known, but continued noncompliance with EU environmental legislation, evident in water and air quality, waste management, and biodiversity loss, not only harms the environment and human health but also undermines the legitimacy of EU legislation and the EU as a rulemaking institution. While the determinants of national-level noncompliance, is well-documented, subnational noncompliance is underexplored, particularly across Member states and over time. This dissertation tests the three main theoretical approaches from the EU implementation research—management, enforcement, and legitimacy—to understand what determines subnational noncompliance behavior. Three empirical chapters test these approaches applying a mixed methods research design in the first two chapters and a quantitative design in the third. The research draws on a unique dataset of subnational infringements of EU environmental directives between 2005 and 2018, alongside 28 semi-structured interviews with subnational civil servants and green party members to explain the mechanisms underlying the quantitative findings. The findings show significant variation in compliance across subnational authorities within and across MS, highlighting that political preferences are decisive, with varying interests in environmental policy driving differences in compliance. A comparative analysis across 24 MS reveals that greater subnational autonomy, financial resources, and support for green parties are associated with higher levels of subnational compliance. Additionally, stronger public support for EU integration decreases the likelihood of subnational infringements. This dissertation underscores the complexity of environmental policy implementation, illustrating that while structural constraints are important, subnational political preferences and public opinion are paramount in shaping environmental compliance outcomes. Overall, the dissertation emphasizes the central importance of subnational authorities in achieving compliance with European environmental objectives.
publishDate 2024
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2024
2025
2026
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesis
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format doctoralThesis
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10803/693729
url http://hdl.handle.net/10803/693729
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv embargoedAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv 254 p.
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Universitat Pompeu Fabra
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Universitat Pompeu Fabra
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv TDX (Tesis Doctorals en Xarxa)
reponame:TDR. Tesis Doctorales en Red
instname:CBUC, CESCA
instname_str CBUC, CESCA
reponame_str TDR. Tesis Doctorales en Red
collection TDR. Tesis Doctorales en Red
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
_version_ 1869425038262796288
spelling Beyond the Member State: Subnational Infringements of European Environmental DirectivesWilhelm, Marie-ThérèseComplianceDirectivesEuropean UnionEnvironmentImplementationInfringementMixed methodsSubnational authoritiesAutoritats subnacionalsComplimentImplementacióInfraccióMètodes mixtosUE32This dissertation examines the extent to which subnational authorities comply with European environmental directives. Problematic implementation of EU environmental legislation is well-known, but continued noncompliance with EU environmental legislation, evident in water and air quality, waste management, and biodiversity loss, not only harms the environment and human health but also undermines the legitimacy of EU legislation and the EU as a rulemaking institution. While the determinants of national-level noncompliance, is well-documented, subnational noncompliance is underexplored, particularly across Member states and over time. This dissertation tests the three main theoretical approaches from the EU implementation research—management, enforcement, and legitimacy—to understand what determines subnational noncompliance behavior. Three empirical chapters test these approaches applying a mixed methods research design in the first two chapters and a quantitative design in the third. The research draws on a unique dataset of subnational infringements of EU environmental directives between 2005 and 2018, alongside 28 semi-structured interviews with subnational civil servants and green party members to explain the mechanisms underlying the quantitative findings. The findings show significant variation in compliance across subnational authorities within and across MS, highlighting that political preferences are decisive, with varying interests in environmental policy driving differences in compliance. A comparative analysis across 24 MS reveals that greater subnational autonomy, financial resources, and support for green parties are associated with higher levels of subnational compliance. Additionally, stronger public support for EU integration decreases the likelihood of subnational infringements. This dissertation underscores the complexity of environmental policy implementation, illustrating that while structural constraints are important, subnational political preferences and public opinion are paramount in shaping environmental compliance outcomes. Overall, the dissertation emphasizes the central importance of subnational authorities in achieving compliance with European environmental objectives.Aquesta tesi examina fins a quin punt les autoritats subnacionals compleixen amb les directives mediambientals europees. La implementació problemàtica de la legislació mediambiental de la UE és ben coneguda, però el continu incompliment d’aquesta legislació, evident en la qualitat de l’aigua i l’aire, la gestió de residus i la pèrdua de biodiversitat, no només perjudica el medi ambient i la salut humana, sinó que també mina la legitimitat de la legislació de la UE i de la mateixa Unió com a institució legislativa. Tot i que els determinants de l’incompliment a nivell nacional estan ben documentats, l’incompliment a nivell subnacional està poc explorat, especialment entre els Estats membres i al llarg del temps. Aquesta tesi posa a prova els tres enfocaments teòrics principals de la investigació sobre la implementació de la UE —gestió, aplicació i legitimitat— per comprendre què determina el comportament d’incompliment subnacional. Tres capítols empírics posen a prova aquests enfocaments, aplicant un disseny de recerca de mètodes mixtos en els dos primers capítols i un disseny quantitatiu en el tercer. La recerca es basa en un conjunt de dades únic sobre infraccions subnacionals de les directives mediambientals de la UE entre el 2005 i el 2018, juntament amb 28 entrevistes semiestructurades amb funcionaris subnacionals i membres de partits verds per explicar els mecanismes subjacents als resultats quantitatius. Els resultats mostren una variació significativa en el compliment entre les autoritats subnacionals dins i entre els Estats membres, destacant que les preferències polítiques són decisives, ja que els interessos variables en la política mediambiental impulsen diferències en el compliment. Una anàlisi comparativa entre 24 Estats membres revela que una major autonomia subnacional, els recursos financers i el suport als partits verds estan associats amb nivells més alts de compliment subnacional. A més, un major suport públic a la integració europea disminueix la probabilitat d'infraccions subnacionals. Aquesta tesi subratlla la complexitat de la implementació de la política mediambiental, il·lustrant que, tot i que les limitacions estructurals són importants, les preferències polítiques subnacionals i l’opinió pública són fonamentals per donar forma als resultats de compliment mediambiental. En general, la tesi destaca la importància central de les autoritats subnacionals per aconseguir el compliment dels objectius mediambientals europeus.Programa de Doctorat en Ciències Polítiques i SocialsUniversitat Pompeu FabraArregui, JavierUniversitat Pompeu Fabra. Departament de Ciències Polítiques i Socials202520242026info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesisinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion254 p.application/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/10803/693729TDX (Tesis Doctorals en Xarxa)reponame:TDR. Tesis Doctorales en Redinstname:CBUC, CESCAInglésL'accés als continguts d'aquesta tesi queda condicionat a l'acceptació de les condicions d'ús establertes per la següent llicència Creative Commons: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/embargoedAccessoai:www.tdx.cat:10803/6937292026-06-14T12:46:07Z
score 15,812429

Similares en LA Referencia