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Environmental Policy: New Directions for the Twenty-First Century

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Authoritative and trusted, Environmental Policy once again brings together top scholars to evaluate the changes and continuities in American environmental policy since the late 1960s and their implications for the twenty-first century. You will learn to decipher the underlying trends, institutional constraints, and policy dilemmas that shape today’s environmental politics.

The Eleventh Edition examines how policy has changed within federal institutions and state and local governments, as well as how environmental governance affects private sector policies and practices. There are five new chapters in this edition that examine the public’s opinion on the environment, courts, energy policy, natural resource agencies and policies, and the political economy of green growth. The book has been updated to reflect the Trump administration′s four years of policy changes and students will walk away with a measured, yet hopeful evaluation of the future challenges that policymakers will confront as the American environmental movement continues to affect the political process.

424 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

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About the author

Norman J. Vig

10 books1 follower
Norman J. Vig is Winifred and Atherton Bean Professor of Science, Technology, and Society, Emeritus, at Carleton College.

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5 stars
23 (18%)
4 stars
49 (39%)
3 stars
36 (29%)
2 stars
9 (7%)
1 star
7 (5%)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Profile Image for Erin Paulson.
32 reviews1 follower
January 16, 2020
Eye-opening and instructive, at once disheartening and encouraging. There is so much work to be done. Even in the light of our current climate catastrophes, we as Americans have been privileged to be raised in a golden era of environmental protections for our clean air, water, and open spaces thanks to the fight for regulations established before we ever took breath. We cannot imagine a life without these until they are taken away like thieves in the night, by the select few in power incapable of understanding their value.
Profile Image for Annie.
36 reviews4 followers
March 10, 2011
** Note: this review is for what almost equates to a textbook ** But with that premise, it does a pretty good job of outlining environmental policy in America, the good, the bad and the ugly.
Profile Image for Adam.
330 reviews12 followers
February 5, 2024
This was required reading for me in grad school but I decided to read it again for fun. It's scholarly, but reads more like normal non-fiction. It focuses on the 2000s, unlike some of the other books I've had to read which gave more of a history of environmental policy. This book focuses on the present, while filling you in on how the past contributed to current events. The edition I read left off after Trump's first year, which helped the narrative lens of a sense of urgency.
Profile Image for Gabby.
32 reviews
November 14, 2023
As with most of my environmental readings, this is depressing. It is, however, a really good, comprehensive take on the state of American environmental policy. The authors did their best to remain neutral (from a party standpoint) while also presenting the facts of policy initiatives from various administration. Overall a pretty easy read for a topic-intense nonfiction book.
Profile Image for Cela McCoy.
134 reviews8 followers
August 20, 2024
Clearly articulated, well organized, relevant and unbiased information. Lost a star because it was slightly redundant and because there were a few very boring spots I had to read on a time crunch but that’s the nature of the best.
33 reviews
July 13, 2022
Don’t know why I decided to buy and read this. I didn’t need it for a class. I just wanted to read it for fun but it wasn’t fun. It was boring. I learned a little but it was so painful to get through I don’t remember much of it at all. This one is on me.
Profile Image for Inessa.
23 reviews9 followers
June 16, 2008
great technical book. easy to read, super engaging and way more information than you know what to do with. this is one of the most politically-balanced policy books i have ever read.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews

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