2012 Volume 5 Issue 2 Pages 34-45
How are environmental policy instruments changed when the regulations for environmental risks are tightened? This article shows two characteristics and problems of the policy instruments of environmental regulations by analyzing the qualitative changes of policy instruments of a chemical policy in Japan from a control theory perspective. Using an analytical framework based on the control theory by Christopher C. Hood, the article compares the policy instruments of chemical policy including government intentions. Finally, concerning two characteristics and problems of the policy instruments in environmental risk regulations, the fact that regulation-based methods are becoming more flexible and the fact that information-based instruments are used with networks and self-regulation by related actors, the paper concludes that burden avoidance of the stakeholders and the specialty of the chemical regulations may prevent flexible control.
