Green plans: blueprints or
statements of future intent for future decisions

Bressers, H. and Coenen, F. (year?): Green plans: blueprints or statements of future intent for future decisions. Center for Clean Technology and Environmental Policy, CSTM, University of Twente, Enschede.

Together with several other northern European  countries, the Netherlands is seen as one of the leaders in innovative environmental policy. However, the actual policy results do not always justify this reputation. This paper compares the actual behaviour within the system with the ideal model. Section 1 outlines the issues. In section two the planning system and its underlying philosophy is explained, and its development discussed. Section three concentrates on the implementation strategies of the Dutch National Environmental Policy Plan (NEPP). The fourth section deals with the efficacy of the planning system based on the results of the study into the effects of local environmental policy planning on the quality of subsequent decision making. The last section draws some general conclusions.