The Centre for Transdisciplinary Study of Institutions, Evolutions and Policies (CETIP) at the Institute for Forecasting of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (IF, SAS) and the Institute for Environmental and Economic Policy (IEEP) at the Economic University of Prague with the support of Academia IREAS, Czech Republic, organized the conference Multi-level environmental governance- What does it mean for Europe in Future? The conference took place 15-16 April 2010, in Prague, Czech Republic. The conference was undertaken within the 6th Framework Project Multi-level Governance of Natural Resources: Tools and Processes for Water and Biodiversity Governance in Europe” (GoverNat).
Primary objective of the conference was to analyse adaptiveness of the Central and Eastern Europe region to multilevel environmental governance and how it does affect europeanisation of environmental policy. Among the key questions addressed were: How to govern the commons in a global world? Why are governments no longer the only authorities in decision-making of democratic regimes? Does increasing involvement of non-state actors acting at and across different levels pose a challenge or an opportunity? And, what would be the optimal governance modes to address those challenges for robust governance of the commons?
The conference was opened by Bedřich Moldan (Senate of the Parliament, Czech Republic) with his presentation on: “Priorities and Options for Future EU Biodiversity Policy”. The scientific key note presentation was held by Frank Biermann, chair of the Earth System Governance Project; and VU University Amsterdam. The conference then presented the book: ‘From Government to Governance? New Governance for Water and Biodiversity in Enlarged EU’ edited by Tatiana Kluvánková-Oravská, in ALFA Printing, Praha. The book was introduced by Susan Baker, University of Cardiff, UK, who served as reviewer of the book jointly with the editor Tatiana Kluvánková-Oravská (CETIP- IF, SAS). The second day of the conference was dedicated to presentation of individual chapters of the book. 15 presenters from different European countries were at the conference, and 35 participants from the European academic community and policy makers.
The book is a result of interdisciplinary research conducted under the Governat project. It explores evolution of environmental governance in the region of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), in particular: How the recombination of institutions “with the ruins of communism” affects the restructuring of command-and-control systems in the post-socialist countries of CEE and how it affects the EU environmental governance.
The book of 233 pages collects 5 chapters presenting conceptual contribution to the evolution of environmental governance in the enlarged EU and 8 case studies on the tools and processes for new governance of water and biodiversity in Europe. It intent to provoke academic and policy debate on the evolution of environmental governance in the region of Central and Eastern Europe The book will be of interests to interdisciplinary researchers, Central European policy maker and students. It has been written by a team of 17 authors from 10 European countries:
Dr. Tatiana Kluvánková-Oravská, Prof. Andy Gouldson, Prof. Jouni Paavola, Prof. Jiřina Jílková, Dr. Lenka Slavíková,, Dr.Veronika Chobotová, Dr. Felix Rauschmayer, Dr. Dimitrios Zikos, Dr. Maria Falaleeva, Minna Santaoja, Dr. Norbert Kohlheb, Dr Bálint Balázs, Dr. Peter Wirth ,Dr. Gérard Hutter, Dr. Jochen Schanze, Dr. Ilona Banaszak, Sonja Trifunovová. Book reviewers: Prof. Susan Baker and Prof. Bálint Baláž.
