Question

Briefly discuss the shortcomings of environmental command-and-control regulations.

Answer 1

Environmental command and control regulations involve regulating the amount of pollution emissions to be controlled as well as the process to be used which aids in pollution reduction.

For e.g. Government asking firms to reduce 25 units of pollution each from their units, using the new pollution control system equipment only.

Some of the shortcomings of this program are:

• The process is rigid and inflexible. That is, it imposes a set process to be used only by all the firms, irrespective of the differences in their production methods
• It provides no incentive to go beyond their regulated limits (even if firms can do so)
• It is more political in nature and can sometimes be so politically manipulated that it is inefficient for the soceity
• With ever evolving technology, it is difficult to ask firms to use the same method of pollution control even after years

Thus, despite its benefits to environment, this approach comes with it own set of shortcomings.