DOCSLIB.ORG

Louise Strong

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Louise Strong 'Understanding the role of the business community in the making of UK climate policy between 1997 and 2009' A dissertation submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Louise Strong Depart~ent of Politics, University of Sheffield September 2010 1 Paginated blank pages are scanned as found in original thesis No information • • • IS missing Contents Acknowledgements....... ........... ... ... ... ......... ....... ... ...... ..... ..... ... ........ ..... ........ p.9 Abstract ...................................................................................................... p. 10 Acronyms and abbre'Viations .................................................................... p. 12 1. Chapter 1: Introduction: the challenge of climate change 1.1 Introduction .......................................................................................... p.14 1.2 Climate change: the science ..................................................................... , p. 17 1.3 The UK government's performance on climate change between 1997 and 2009 1.3.1 Action to match the strong rhetoric? ..................................................................... p.20 1.3.2 Explaining the disconnect between rhetoric and poliry ..................................................................... p.21 1.4 The role of business actors in environmental policymaking in the UK .................. p.22 1.5 Research questions ................................................................................. p.24 1.6 Why a UK focus remains valuable .............................................................. p. 24 1.7 The structure of the thesis ........................................................................ p.26 2. Chapter two: An organising perspective to analyse the business community's role in climate change policy 2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................ p. 30 2.2 Theoretical perspectives on business power 2.2.1 The theoretical literature on business power ................................................................. p.31 2.2.2 Pluralists and neo-pluralists: countervailing interests and the contingenry of corporate power ................... p.31 2.2.3 The Elitist and Marxist challenge to pluralism .......................................................... p.34 2.2.4 Challengingpluralism: Lindblom ......................................................................... p.37 2.2.5 The mutuallY reinforcing resources e1!JOyed ~ business actors .............................................. p.39 3 2.3 Towards an organising perspective ............................................................... p.40 2.3.1 The importance of legitimary ................................................................................ p.41 2.3.2 The importance of disaggregating 'business'.................................................................... p.43 2.4 The Strategic Relational Approach 2.4.1 Introducing the SRA ............ '" .................................................................. p.45 2.4.2 A note on the nature ofpreferences ......................................................................... " p.48 2.5 The power and role of discourse in environmental politics .................................. p.49 2.6 Ecological modernisation 2.6.1 The kry tenets of ecological modernisation ................................................................... p.53 2.6.2 Poliry elites and the appeal of ecological modernisation ................................................ p.55 2.6.3 Ecological modernisation: its limits and political implications ............................................ p.56 2.7 Conclusion ............................................................................................ p.5S 3. Chapter 3: Methodology 3. 1 Introduction .......................................................................................... p.60 3.2 Making explicit ontology and epistemology .................................................... p.60 3.3 Documentary analysis 3.3.1 The documents ....................................................................................... p.62 3.3.2 The value and limits of documents ..................................................................... p.64 3.4 Elite interviews 3.4.1 The value of elite interviewing ............................................................................... p.65 3.4.2 The interviews ...... ................................................... '" .................................. p.68 3.4.3 AnalYsing the interview data ................................................................................ p.71 3.5 Participant observation 3.5.1 The value and appropriateness ofparticipant observation ........................ ............................... p. 72 3.5.2 The participant observation: the Confederation of British Industry ............................................. p.73 3.6 The inherent difficulties associated with attributing influence ............................. p.74 3.7 Conclusion ............................................................................................. p. 7 5 4 4. Chapter 4: The prevailing UK context 4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................ p.76 4.2 Climate change and UK politics 4.2.1 Earb political engagement with climate change ......................................................... p.77 4.2.2 The increasingpolitical salience oj climate change in UK politics ....................................... p.78 4.2.3 Climate change and the Labour government ............................................................ p.81 4.2.4 UK polity to cut emissions between 1997and 2009 ................................................... p.81 4.3 Cross-party consensus and its political implications for the business community 4.3.1 J)olitical consensus ........................................................................................... p. 84 4.3.2 Climate change and the rebranding oj the Conseroative Parry under Cameron .................................... p.85 4.3.3 Labour on the difensive ........................................................................................ p.87 4.4 Public attitudes towards climate change ......................................................... p.90 4.5 Climate change and the business community .................................................... p.93 4.5.1 1990-2004: Earb business engagement ............... ........................................................ p.93 4.5.2 2005-2009: wider and deeper business engagement ............................................................. p. 95 4.5.3 Business action on climate change ..................................................................... p.98 4.5.4 Disaggregating the business communifY ............................................................... p.100 4.6 Conclusion ............................................................................................ p.l03 5. Chapter 5: The role of the business community in the making of UK climate policy - an overview 5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................... p.l05 5.2 A favourable context for business interests ...................................................... p.l07 5.2.1 The privileging oj market mechanisms and the Labour government's aversion to business criticism .... .. p.107 5.2.2 The discursive privileging oj economic growth and the widespread attachment to increasing levels oj consumption ........................................................................................................ p.110 5.3 A shared discourse: ecological modernisation 5.3.1 Politymakers adopt the ideas oj ecological modernisation ........................................................ p.114 5.3.2 Ecological modernisation: increasing traction among business leaders ................................... p.115 5.3.3 The recession:further embedding ecological modernisation ............................................. p.117 5.3.4. Renderinggrowth legitimate ........................................................................ p.118 5 5.3.5 De-reifying ecological modernization .................................................................. p.119 5.4 The bearers of crucial and unique resources ................................................... p.12l 5.4.1 The importance of information:faczlitating access ............................................................ p. 122 5.4.2 The importance of information:facilitating influence ......................................................... p. 125 5.4.3 Investment and innovation ................................................................................. p.126 5.5 An important caveat: business requires disaggregation .................................... p. 130 5.6 Conclusion ........................................................................................... p.136 6. Chapter 6: The Confederation of British Industry, the UK government and the making of climate change policy 6.1 Introduction .......................................................................................... p.13S 6.2 The Confederation of British Industry .......................................................... p.140 6.3 UK Corporate Leaders' Group on Climate Change 6.3.1 The origins and membership of the Coporate Leaders' Group on Climate Change ................... p.143 6.3.2 The
Load more

Recommended publications
  • How Change Happens
    ‘In this powerfully argued book, Duncan Green shows how we can make major changes in our unequal and unjust world by concerted action, taking full note of the economic and social mechanisms, including established institutions, that sustain the existing order. If self-confidence is important for the effective agency of deprived communities, so is a reasoned understanding of the difficult barriers that must be faced and overcome. This is a splendid treatise on how to change the actual world— in reality, not just in our dreams.’ Amartya Sen, Thomas W. Lamont University Professor, and Professor of Economics and Philosophy, Harvard University ‘In How Change Happens, Duncan Green points to a simple truth: that positive social change requires power, and hence attention on the part of reformers to politics and the institutions within which power is exercised. It is an indispensable guide for activists and change-makers everywhere.’ Francis Fukuyama, Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI), and the Mosbacher Director of FSI’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law, Stanford University ‘It was George Orwell who wrote that “The best books… are those that tell you what you know already.” Well in Duncan’s book How Change Happens I have found something better: A book that made me think differently about something I have been doing for my entire life. He has captured so much in these pages, drawing on global and national and local change and examples from past and present. But what makes this book so insightful is that at all times we are able to see the world through Duncan’s watchful eyes: From his time as a backpacker in South America to lobbying the WTO in Seattle and his many years with Oxfam, this is someone who has always been watching and always been reflecting.
    [Show full text]
  • Progresslabour’S Progressives
    ProgressLabour’s Progressives Beyond the first 100 days Building towards a fourth Labour term Ed Balls • Hilary Benn • Hazel Blears • Ben Bradshaw • David Miliband • Jacqui Smith • Jack Straw ProgressLabour’s Progressives Progress is an organisation of Labour party members which aims to promote a radical and progressive politics for the 21st century. We seek to discuss, develop and advance the means to create a more free, equal and democratic Britain, which plays an active role in Europe and the wider world. Diverse and inclusive, we work to improve the level and quality of debate both within the Labour party, and between the party and the wider progressive community. 2 Progress Beyond the first 100 days Building towards a fourth Labour term Progress 3 Published in October 2007 Honorary President Rt Hon Alan Milburn MP Chair Stephen Twigg Vice Chairs Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP, Chris Leslie, Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP, Baroness Delyth Morgan, Meg Munn MP Director Robert Philpot Patrons Wendy Alexander MSP, Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP, Ian Austin MP, Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP, Yvette Cooper MP, Rt Hon John Denham MP, Parmjit Dhanda MP, Natascha Engel MP, Lorna Fitzsimons, Rt Hon Peter Hain MP, John Healey MP, Rt Hon Margaret Hodge MP, Rt Hon Beverley Hughes MP, Rt Hon John Hutton MP, Baroness Jones, Glenys Kinnock MEP, Sadiq Khan MP, Oona King, David Lammy MP, Cllr Richard Leese, Rt Hon Peter Mandelson, Pat McFadden MP, Rt Hon David Miliband MP, Trevor Phillips, Baroness Prosser, Rt Hon James Purnell MP, Jane Roberts, Lord Triesman, Kitty Ussher MP,
    [Show full text]
  • A Greener Shade of Blue? Reflections on New Conservative Approaches to the Environment S3518
    S3518_wayne_v5 11/5/07 15:01 Page 1 a greener shade of blue? reflections on new Conservative approaches to the environment S3518_wayne_v5 11/5/07 15:01 Page 2 a greener shade of blue? reflections on new Conservative approaches to the environment edited by Tracy Carty Green Alliance is an independent charity. For 28 years we have worked with businesses and other environmental charities to make environmental solutions a priority in British politics. We work with representatives of all three a greener shade of blue? a greener of the main political parties to encourage new ideas, facilitate dialogue and secure new commitments to action and progress on the environment. Designed and printed by Seacourt www.seacourt.net on paper with at least 75% recycled content. © Green Alliance 2007 £5 ISBN 978-1-905869-02-2 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Green Alliance.Within the UK, exceptions are allowed in respect of any fair dealing for the purposes of private research or study, or criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright, Design and Patents Act, 1988, or in the case of reprographic reproduction in accordance with the terms of the licenses issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency. This report is sold subject to condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than in which it was published and without a similar condition including the condition being imposed on a subsequent purchaser.
    [Show full text]
  • The Great Migration
    JOHN HAYES MP PHILIppE LEGRAIN on security and the EU and ED WEST debate immigration Centre Write The great migration Summer 2016 | 1 the rt hon chris grayling mp | professor nick pearce | madeleine sumption | jonathan portes Education and social policy Bright Blue is generating fresh thinking about the purpose, design and financing of the UK’s education and welfare systems to boost life chances and national prosperity. To compete in the global race, Britain needs to significantly improve the skills of its workforce and broaden access to high quality academic and vocational education. As the economy becomes more globalised, competitive and automated, Britain’s social security system also needs revamping to improve its effectiveness and popularity. Energy and environment Bright Blue is a leading centre-right voice devising and promoting policies that can cost-effectively safeguard the environment at the same time as strengthening the economy. We produce rigorous analysis and fresh policy ideas to help the UK solve the ‘energy trilemma’ of achieving decarbonisation, affordable energy and security of supply. In particular, our work focuses on key policy areas such as energy, the natural environment, and sustainability and international development. Human rights Human rights now have a bad reputation among the public, especially conservatives. But human rights are vital. They protect individual freedom, especially from an overarching state. Our work explores how human rights can be better understood and enhanced in the UK and abroad, with a particular focus on: the contents of the forthcoming British Bill of Rights; the role of human rights in British foreign policy; and how to tackle racial, gender, sexual, disability and religious discrimination.
    [Show full text]
  • And How Labour Should Use It
    CONFERENCE SPECIAL ISSUE Fabian Review www.fabians.org.uk Autumn 2009 DAYS OF POWER (and how Labour should use it) Peter Kellner, Yvette Cooper, Oona King, Douglas Alexander, Patricia Hewitt, Phillip Blond, Sunder Katwala, Richard Reeves, David Blunkett Mary Riddell, Roger Liddle, James Macintyre The quarterly magazine of the Fabian Society Volume 121 no 3 £4.95 REVIEW OF THE AUTUMN Image: Adrian Teal The Brighton challenge Detaching the middle class from the state could spell disaster for the poorest Don’t be surprised if you hear New on. This would set Britain on the path Inequality in an Age of Affluence found Labour ministers quoting Nye Bevan to a residualised set of sink services many people don’t feel they have this autumn: the language of priorities with a deeply segregating effect on much in common with social housing is indeed the religion of socialism society, just as the residualisation of tenants and are less willing to support (however moderate). If spending on social housing today reflects the way them as a result. Richard Titmuss was child poverty, youth unemployment council houses were sold off after 1979. right when he warned 40 years ago and green jobs really matters, that will The success and sustainability of that “services for the poor will always mean less for other social goals, often welfare has often been about whether be poor services”. desirable ones. the interests of the middle are aligned Some on the right propose cutting But different visions of society with, or pitted against, those of the middle class welfare with precisely the mean balancing budgets in different poor.
    [Show full text]
  • Whole Day Download the Hansard
    Monday Volume 653 28 January 2019 No. 241 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Monday 28 January 2019 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2019 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 457 28 JANUARY 2019 458 James Brokenshire: The hon. Lady is right to highlight House of Commons the issues of mental health and addiction, with a much higher proportion of people who are rough sleeping Monday 28 January 2019 having those particular needs. That is why in the NHS long-term plan there was the commitment for an extra The House met at half-past Two o’clock £30 million designed specifically for health support for rough sleepers, because sometimes access can be really PRAYERS difficult. We are determined to ensure that that type of support is able to be provided to rough sleepers. [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Anna McMorrin: We know that homelessness is getting worse. According to Shelter, 36 new people become homeless every day. One way to address this is to make Oral Answers to Questions more social housing available. To do that, England should be suspending the right to buy as we have already done in Wales. Does the Secretary of State HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL agree? GOVERNMENT James Brokenshire: I do agree that we require more The Secretary of State was asked— social housing. That is why we have our affordable Homelessness: Death Rates housing programme. We have also already taken off the restrictions on councils in England to enable them to 1.
    [Show full text]
  • New Ng Template.Qxd 03/09/2007 17:01 Page 1
    NG73:new ng template.qxd 03/09/2007 17:01 Page 1 Issue 73, Autumn 2007 Labour campaigning for environmental progress and social justice Environment Campaign new grou nd Winning the Green Election Stephen Hale - The Cameron Threat Emma Burnell - Why Labour must fight the next election on Climate Change With manifesto ideas from Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP, Frances O’Grady, Dave Prentis, Elliot Morley MP, Lord Chris Smith and many more. NG73:new ng template.qxd 03/09/2007 17:01 Page 2 ng welcome contents ew Leader, new times. In the space of a few months Labour’s prospects look distinctly upbeat and it seems an election will be upon us in months rather than years. SERA has Gordon Brown always worked hard to ensure that the party and Hywel Lloyd on Labour’s new Prime Minister 3 Election Manifesto have presented as green a Labour N On-Site Renewable Energy prospective as possible. As we know from our last edition we can expect to enter the election with the SERA support the Merton rule 4 Climate Change Bill under our belts, the most radical approach to carbon reduction seen from a government SERA Urban Wallking Group anywhere. The question for us all is can we deliver on Vincent Stops on SERA’s initiative to promote walking 5 the more than 60% carbon dioxide reduction? Waste Strategy For England Philippa Roberts on the Review of the Waste Strategy 6 It is fundamentally important that we do, for if the UK with an economy of such strength and wealth finds the Climate Camp 2007 challenge beyond us then what hope for a low carbon Romney Tansley report from this year’s event outside Heathrow 7 developing world and a low carbon developed world? The UK has always been a well connected, Local Transport Bill entrepreneurial innovatory nation that has led the world.
    [Show full text]