British Decision-Making on Vehicle Emissions: The Emerging Environmental Dimension

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Abstract
This paper relates to a previous article published in this journal on vehicle emission regulation in Europe. The former paper explained the long drawn out (and yet not fully completed) negotiations for European Community standards in terms of technology choice (lean-burn engines versus catalytic conversion of exhaust gases) and envisaged commercial implications for the Euopean car industry, and the outcome as a highly satisfactory one to the industry. In the present paper British regulatory regime and decision-making processes for vehicles emissions is described and assessed. While Britain lost the argument, the position it adopted in Europe was rational given the British policy context and the limitations inherent in a technocratic policymaking process which remains biased towards science rather than technology.