Paper Titles & Abstracts

This paper assesses the extent to which environmental policy integration (EPI) is observable in the domestic nuclear energy sectors in the UK and France. Case selection is, firstly, based upon the contrasting policy-making styles of the traditionally top down France and the more pluralistic UK. Secondly, both countries are committed to the long-term maintenance and expansion of domestic nuclear power. A conceptual framework is developed from recent 'framing' and 'learning' based approaches towards EPI and energy policies. The paper furthers our understanding of EPI through combining a cognitive (frames or learning based approach to EPI) with a political systems perspective. A longitudinal study is undertaken towards the evolution of EPI in the UK and French nuclear energy sector from the 1970s. Evidence is drawn from a discourse analysis of policy documents.In doing so, the first research question concentrates on what the major patterns of policy learning and EPI in each case study. This approach builds on the 'rational' and 'policy analysis' perspectives associated with the EPI literature. Three collective 'policy frames' are essentially identified as markers of EPI 'in action' to varying extents in each national case study. It is suggested that EPI 'policy frames' are significantly more observable in the French case. A second research question examines what conditions have facilitated or constrained policy-making processes. The under-developed 'political systems' viewpoint allows for an examination of the respective roles of political leadership (rather than institutional or cognitive predispositions) in EPI with regards to nuclear energy. It is revealed that government turnover is more important to the pursuit of EPI principles in nuclear energy in the UK than in France.