Sustainable development or the will to power?
The European union and Finland pursuing environmental policy

ABSTRACT

The interaction between the European Union and Finland in environmental policy is studied from different perspectives including rationality, power, and social and economic consequences. While this interaction has its own peculiarities, the general features of environmental policy outcome are similar throughout the western world.

Different approaches have been developed in this study to estimate the magnitude of environmental impact. Among these is an open ended environmental impact scale that measures environmental impacts in square kilometers and years. A number of case studies show how important environmental issues are confused with minor problems or risks.

Why does this happen? The effects of environmental psychology and manipulation are discussed in depth. The roles of research institutes, mass media, environmental movement and professional groups, all looking after their own interests, are considered.

Elemental particles are not disappearing and energy is plentiful. What exactly, apart from climate change, threatens the well-being of present and future generations in Finland and Europe? What are the magnitudes and emergencies posed by environmental threats compared to conventional threats such as economic collapse or military conflicts?

It is argued that Europe’s political and administrative environmental elite deliberately circumvent scale issues and cost benefit analyses with the sustainable development ideology. A rational approach would upset bureaucratic structures and reduce their scope of power exercise. This is considered in terms of fragmentation of decision-making and power theory.

From economic perspective, environmental policy is shown to have serious implications. A healthy economy needs an efficient permitting process and a rational justice system. The new policy approach has created a jungle of legislation that prolongs permitting processes and allows capricious interpretation of laws by officials. By placing those engaged in productive activities at the mercy of the bureaucracy, Europe is pushing jobs and prosperity elsewhere.

This study proposes new methods to increase the quality and accountability of decision making in environmental policy. However, the core problem is found to be the combination of power and cognitive dissonance. Even when confronted with overwhelming evidence, erratic policies are pushed through. This happens because the elite do not want to surrender power capital back to administrative subordinates and face accountability for past actions.

A change in the system of governance is needed to deal with the ever-increasing body of legislation and bureaucracy burdening the people of Europe. Splitting a new independent entity from the EU Commission and European Parliament is suggested for consideration. It would have the duty of protecting the subsidiarity principle and producing independent and critical reviews of policy outcomes. It would be given the sole power and the hard job to rid the system from unnecessary or harmful policies, legislation and bureaucracy.

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