The European Union's Environmental Policy

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The European Union’s environmental policy is vast and complicated. It applies to every country under the Union’s domain and its criteria must be met for any state wishing to seek membership. The European Union was not the original forerunner in environmental politics; in fact, the United States “took on a leadership role in preparations for the 1972 United Nations (UN) Conference on the Human Environment” (Kelemen 2009). However, in the 1970s (1973 to be specific) as the US pulled away from being the environmental leader the EU emerged with it’s seven ‘Environmental Action Plans’ (EAP) (Pearce 1998). The original aim of environmental policy was very traditional, focusing on protecting species and improving the quality of life but today the underlying aim of the policy “is to enhance natural capital, provide a resource-efficient economy and safeguard people’s health” (European Commission 2013). I will first open with a brief history of the environmental policy, followed by its success and failures using concrete examples and conclude with alterations or alternatives to the policy in order to make it more successful across the European Union.

B. BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Starting with the 1972 UN Convention, environmental politics became a phenomena that swept across the world and the EU was not immune to this contagious excitement and began the process with seven unique Environmental Action Programs (EAP). The first program began in 1973 and had three major points: (1) the prevention, reduction and containment of environmental damage, (2) the conservation of an ecological equilibrium, and (3) the rational use of natural resources. This was a very traditional approach and would be expanded upon in the future but a...

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...Plants by 2022." The New York Times, May 30, 2011. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/world/europe/31germany.html?_r=0 (accessed March 27, 2014).

Neubacher, Alexander, and Catalina Schröder. "The Move to Renewables: German'ys Nuclear Phase-Out Brings Unexpected Costs." Der Spiegel, June 06, 2012. http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/germany-s-nuclear-phase-out-brings-unexpected-costs-to-consumers-a-837007.html (accessed March 27, 2014).

Spiegel, . "The Price of Green Energy: Is Germany Killing the Environment to Save it?." Der Spiegel, March 12, 2013. http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-renewable-energy-policy-takes-toll-on-nature-conservation-a-888094.html (accessed March 27, 2014).

European Commission, "Enviornment Action Programme to 2020." Last modified 03 25, 2014. Accessed March 27, 2014. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/newprg/.

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