The democratisation of European nature governance 1992–2015: introducing the comparative nature governance index

Abstract European environmental governance has radically transformed over the past two decades. While traditionally enforcement of law been responsibility public authorities (public EU Member States, themselves policed by Commission), this paradigm now taken a democratic turn. Led changes in international and particular UNECE Aarhus Convention (UNECE, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (1998). on access to information, participation decision-making Access Justice Environmental Matters (the Convention), signed June 25, 1998.), gives important legal rights members non-governmental organisations (“ENGOs”) become involved governance, means accessing participating bringing proceedings. doctrinal regulatory scholarship embrace “bottom-up” private is substantial, there relatively little quantitative research field. This article represents first step mapping evolution laws EU. We employ leximetrics methodology, coding 6000 from three levels sources (international, national), provide systematic data showing transformation regimes. develop Nature Governance Index (“NGI”) measure how tools deployed international, national have changed time, birth EU’s flagship nature conservation law, 1992 Habitats Directive (Directive 92/43/EEC). At level, we focus States (France, Ireland Netherlands) enable fine-grained measurement time. introduces our unique datasets NGI, describes process used collect its limitations, compares at 23-year period 1992–2015. Our findings strong empirical confirmation turn while revealing significant divergences between systems that remain absent express harmonisation Convention’s principles law. also set foundations future research, enabling deeper analysis relationships different multilevel governance.