Environmental Governance and Greening Fiscal Policy: Government Accountability for Environmental Stewardship

This book explores how governments can be made more accountable for environmental stewardship by integrating environmental outcomes in fiscal policy, promoting sustainability, and civil society environmental monitoring. It combines in-depth assessment of literature and country practices with discussion of how to implement green fiscal policies.

Format: Hardback
Length: 205 pages
Publication date: 28 November 2021
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland AG

The pressing issue of how governments can be held accountable for their environmental stewardship is explored in this comprehensive book. It delves into a range of strategies, including:

Enhanced National State of the Environment Reporting: Governments should establish robust systems to regularly report on the state of their environment, including air and water quality, biodiversity, and climate change. This reporting should be integrated into key national indicators to provide a clear picture of environmental performance.

Integration of Environmental Outcomes in Fiscal Policy and the Annual Budget: Environmental goals, targets, and risks should be mainstreamed into fiscal policy and the annual budget, which are the primary policy instruments of governments. This integration ensures that environmental considerations are taken into account in decision-making processes and resource allocation.

Promoting Sustainability: Governments should adopt policies that promote sustainability, such as eliminating harmful tax and expenditure policies that contribute to pollution and environmental degradation. Additionally, they should put a price on pollution through environmental taxes or charges and provide environmental public goods, such as clean air, water, and natural resources, to ensure their availability to all.

Civil Society Environmental Monitoring: Civil society organizations should be actively involved in environmental monitoring and reporting. Governments should support and facilitate their work by providing access to data, resources, and funding. This collaboration helps to ensure transparency, accountability, and public participation in environmental decision-making.

In-Depth Assessment of Climate/Green Budgeting Literature and Country Practices: The book combines a comprehensive assessment of the latest climate/green budgeting literature with practical examples from countries that have implemented successful green fiscal policies. It provides insights into the challenges, opportunities, and best practices associated with green budgeting.

The framework presented in this book is deliberately ambitious, recognizing the severity, scale, and urgency of climate change and biodiversity loss. It aims to provide a roadmap for governments to enhance their environmental stewardship and achieve sustainable development goals.

This book will be of interest to a wide range of stakeholders, including ministry of finance, budget, and planning officials, environment sector agencies, oversight institutions, international organizations, civil society organizations, and academics and students in the fields of environmental studies, development studies, economics, public finance, and public policy. By implementing these strategies, governments can demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability and contribute to the well-being of present and future generations.

Weight: 459g
Dimension: 210 x 148 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783030837952
Edition number: 1st ed. 2021