Governing the Air

Governing the Air looks at the regulation of air pollution not as a static procedureof enactment and agreement but as a dynamic process that reflects the shifting interrelationships ofscience, policy, and citizens. Taking transboundary air pollution in Europe as its empirical focus,the book not only assesses the particular regulation strategies that have evolved to govern Europeanair, but also offers theoretical insights into dynamics of social order, political negotiation, andscientific practices. These dynamics are of pivotal concern today, in light of emerginginternational governance problems related to climate change. The contributors, all prominent socialscientists specializing in international environmental governance, review earlier findings, analyzethe current situation, and discuss future directions for both empirical and theoretical work.[cutlast sentence in first para for catalog] The chapters discuss the institutional dimensions ofinternational efforts to combat air pollution, examining the effectiveness of CLRTAP (Convention forLong-Range Transboundary Air Pollution) and the political complexity of the European Union; offer abroad overview and detailed case studies of the roles of science, expertise, and learning; andexamine the "missing link" in air pollution policies: citizen involvement. Changingpolitical conditions, evolving scientific knowledge, and the need for citizen engagement offersignificant challenges for air pollution policy making. By focusing on process rather than product,learning rather than knowledge, and strategies rather than interests, this book gives a nuanced viewof how air pollution is made governable.

The hardcover edition does not include adust jacket.

Rolf Lidskog is Professor of Sociology at the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies at Orebro University, Sweden. Goran Sundqvist is Professor of Science, Technology, and Culture at the University of Oslo, Norway.