Environmental Policy Integration and Its Success on Settlement Level in Hungary

Abstract

This paper aims to present environmental policy integration and its success on settlement level in Hungary. To do so, firstly, the author gives an overview in historical perspective of the rise of environmental protection and environmental policy taking a look at the international level and Hungary. Secondly, the summary of the author’s empirical researches in the topic in the past decades draws the readers’ attention to the role of the impact of the recent recentralization process in Hungary on the environmental actions at urban level, and also highlights the role of the size of settlement in environmental policy. The analyses show that the lack of information is crucial in the failure to make positive environmental actions. On the other hand, in larger, urbanised settlements, due to their higher development and investment capacity and risk, the role of environmental assessment related to planning activities is considered more important.