The uniqueness of environmental policy in the European context

The purpose of this thesis is to demonstrate the unique qualities of the environmental policy sector in the European context and what this means for European integration. This begins with a theoretical discussion of European integration, focused on differences between neofunctionalist and intergovernmental perspectives, also discussing how environmental policy fits into the dialogue. Following this is a brief discussion of the history and the guiding principles of the field that inform the institutionalization of environmental ideals in Europe. Next is a discussion of some important examples of policies, regulations and institutions involved in European environmental policy that demonstrate the institutionalization of environmental ideals. Finally, there is a comparison of the EU and the US from a federalist perspective to gauge the degree of environmental policy centralization in the EU. This demonstrates that the EU, not the US is the more centralized polity in terms of environmental policy