ABSTRACT
The main focus of the research addressed the circumstances under which changes in decision making by all those involved1 can be brought about by new concepts in environmental policy. The specific hypothesis was that by introducing reflexive learning into decision making the two instruments would have the effect of incorporating in the daily decisions of those involved the environmental consequences of their actions. The dependent variable is therefore the change in decision making behaviour which depends on the use of one or other of the two environmental policy instruments which represent the independent variable. Initial assumptions were confirmed, namely that the dependent variable was brought about in different ways in the three countries, although the same instrument was employed.2 Consequently, the intervening variables which take different forms in the three countries must have an influence. These intervening variables include the administrative culture, the legal structure, the pattern of political interest intermediation and the economic context as well as the level of environmental awareness.3 The broad assumption is that these factors influence the extent to which the instruments can change the environmental decision making behaviour of the key people involved.
