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Stay informed
Policies, conventions, strategies, regulations and directives, all drafted to improve and protect the environment and human health. At least, when executed and enforced. Why would we otherwise produce all these papers?
It is all part of the regulatory chain. Simply said: a problem occurs, a policy is developed and legislation is drafted which is then implemented and monitored. The results of this monitoring are given back to the policymakers to evaluate if the correct strategy has been developed and the problems are tackled. Although nowadays everyone speaks about the importance of enforcement, it is still difficult to get sufficient attention. Attention which should lead to proper resources for effective implementation and enforcement.
Ambiendura recently attended an international environmental meeting where it was stated that enforcement is not ‘politically attractive’. It is difficult and doesn’t make you popular as a politician. The question is whether new and more rules do make you popular. Enforcement effects enterprises, but this does not have to be seen as something negative. As long as it is equal and coordinated. Preventing environmental disasters by inspections, does not seem to count as a (political) success; unfortunately, because that sounds very attractive.