A scientific case study in actors and strategies that were used during a referendum of the Zero Waste Approach in Scotland. The main focus is on the political communication of the new rule.
The Zero Waste Plan is an important issue due to its origins in the Climate Change Act (2009) and to the pressure of adapting to stricter EU waste policies. The issue was put on the public agenda in 2007 for the first time and even now in 2011, it is causing a public debate on a national level. The reason for the importance of the Zero Waste Plan lies in its objectives and in its consequences for businesses, industries, public sector and citizens.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.2 Relevance of the Zero Waste Regulations
2. Key actors
3. Types of applied strategies
4. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Themes
The primary objective of this case study is to analyze the government's approach to implementing the Zero Waste Strategy in Scotland as a policy. It examines the dynamics between various stakeholders, their objectives, and the specific strategies they employed to either support the proposed regulations or lobby for their withdrawal, within the timeframe of June 2010 to October 2011.
- Analysis of policy networks and advocacy coalitions surrounding the Zero Waste Plan.
- Examination of resource dependencies among public and private actors.
- Evaluation of strategies such as media usage and resource mobilization.
- Investigation of the legislative process and the role of stakeholders in policy debate.
Excerpt from the publication
1. Introduction
The Zero Waste Plan is an important issue due to its origins in the Climate Change Act (2009) and to the pressure of adapting to stricter EU waste policies (The Scottish Government 2011a). The issue was put on the public agenda in 2007 for the first time and even now in 2011, it is causing a public debate on a national level. The reason for the importance of the Zero Waste Plan lies in its objectives and in its consequences for businesses, industries, public sector and citizens.
The Zero Waste Plan was launched in 2010 (see appendix 1) and introduced new, radical measures to handle waste management in Scotland. The overall goal of the plan was to cause a change in the public view of waste and move it to the vision of waste as a resource by presenting a waste management hierarchy, which is composed of waste prevention, reuse of waste, recycling and recovery. Moreover, it aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the impact of waste management on the environment (The Scottish Government 2010). The measures introduced in order to achieve these goals were: separate collections of particular waste types, especially food waste; targets such as 70% recycled waste and only 5% sent to landfill by 2025, just to name the most relevant (The Scottish Government 2011).
Since January 2011 the ongoing dialogue with the stakeholders seems to be the last stage of preparing the final draft for Zero Waste Regulations, which will be introduced to the Scottish Parliament (The Scottish Government 2011a). Considering this fact, the focus of this case study will be on the government's approach towards implementing Zero Waste Strategy as a policy. The focus will be on the actors within the Zero Waste debate and the specific strategies which were employed by them in order to back the regulations or to try to have them withdrawn. This work will only consider a time frame from June 2010, as the general opinion about Zero Waste Plan was very supportive, until October 2011, as several MSPs heavily criticised the plan.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the origins of the Zero Waste Plan in the Climate Change Act and defines the scope of the case study regarding the implementation of waste management strategies in Scotland.
1.2 Relevance of the Zero Waste Regulations: Discusses the policy significance of the regulations, contrasting the traditional economic paradigm with the sustainable development paradigm.
2. Key actors: Identifies the primary 'insider' and 'outsider' actors involved in the legislative process and details their conflicting interests and resources.
3. Types of applied strategies: Analyzes the strategies employed by different interest groups, focusing on resource exchange and the use of media to influence policy outcomes.
4. Conclusion: Summarizes the current state of the policy implementation and highlights the importance of future monitoring regarding the influence of key actors on upcoming legislation.
Keywords
Zero Waste Plan, Scottish Government, Policy Networks, Advocacy Coalition, Environmental Policy, Sustainability, Resource Dependency, Waste Management, Stakeholders, Public Affairs, Legislation, Climate Change Act, Resource Exchange, Media Strategy, Policy Implementation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this report?
The report focuses on the policy-making process regarding the Zero Waste Plan in Scotland, specifically examining how different stakeholders influenced the development of regulations between 2010 and 2011.
What are the central themes discussed?
The central themes include resource dependency, the influence of advocacy coalitions, the transition from traditional environmental policies to sustainable development paradigms, and the strategies used by actors to influence legislative decisions.
What is the primary objective of the case study?
The primary objective is to analyze the government's policy implementation approach and to understand the tactical behaviors of various actors who sought to either support or oppose the proposed regulations.
Which scientific theories support the methodology?
The methodology is grounded in the theory of policy networks, Sabatier’s advocacy coalition framework, and Compston’s theory of tradable resources.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers the identification of key 'insider' and 'outsider' actors, an analysis of their available political and relational resources, and a detailed look at the strategies—such as media usage and resource exchange—employed during the debate.
Which keywords define this academic work?
Key terms include Zero Waste Plan, Scottish Government, advocacy coalition, resource dependency, and sustainable development.
How do 'outsider' groups like citizens impact the policy debate?
Outsider groups lack institutional capital but utilize their public image and media coverage to challenge the government's plans, often successfully forcing compromises or further bargaining within the policy network.
What role do incinerators play in the debate?
Incinerators are a focal point of criticism; opposition groups have effectively reframed the debate from "saving the environment" to "harming the environment" through the utilization of new incinerators, thereby mobilizing public protest.
How does the Scottish government frame the policy to gain support?
The government frames the issue using 'ecological modern' and 'sustainable' language, attempting to balance economic interests with environmental benefits to ensure the plan remains on the public and governmental agenda.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2011, Actors and strategies within the Zero Waste Approach, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/972377
