Experiments in transforming environmental regulation in developing countries

Abstract

The idea of regulation by transparency employing public disclosure of relevant information as a key component of regulatory innovation has recently gained prominence in public policy and administration circles. This research examines the potential of information disclosure for environmental regulation through combination of a case study and plant-level data analyses of the EcoWatch program administered in the Philippines. While environmental regulation by transparency has been acclaimed as providing a promising tool for pollution abatement, particularly where regulatory agencies are too weak to enforce binding rules, our preliminary findings imply that regulatory disclosure may fail to achieve its intended goal where it is allegedly most needed. The research presented here delves into what impedes the efficacy of the state-mandated regulatory disclosure by taking into consideration the country’s regulatory culture, state capacity, and methods of communicating information.