Government policy, NGO engagement, innovation, transparency, and increased accountability are the big themes for this year.
The European Union
Environmental policies look set to play second fiddle to jobs in 2006 even though Commissioners are split on whether environmental rules are a cost burden or a spur to innovation. Economic factors will be key in how several issues play out during 2006
These will include the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. Member states must submit their second lot of national action plans to cut industrial emissions of CO2 by 30 June. Such plans will apply for 2008 until 2012, the period the EU has committed to cut greenhouse gases by 8% compared to 1990 levels under the Kyoto Protocol.
The EU now agrees that environmental policy development should be tied to the principles of 'better regulation'. These require strict economic impact assessments to be made before to every legislative proposal.
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