The construction of legitimacy in European nature policy: expertise and participation in the service of cost-effectiveness

摘要: In environmental governance, the European Union draws on norms of effectiveness, decentralisation, and participation to ensure that its policies regulations are considered legitimate. This article analyses how construction legitimacy in nature policy has changed over time. Although decentralisation increasingly evoked address needs stakeholders member states implementation financing Natura 2000, norm effectiveness continues dominate legitimacy. Effectiveness first acquired meaning context a science-based approach 2000 emphasise importance achieving conservation objectives. More recently, it become re-articulated as cost-effectiveness, which reflects growing influence neoliberal discourse. The concludes by discussing implications findings for governance.