This analysis provides a horizontal comparison of environmental policies in eight countries in the area of clean air policy, water management, waste management, and nature conservation. It also describes the level of integration of environmental concerns into economic policy, energy policy, agricultural policy and transport policy.

This report provides a systematic analysis and assessment of the OECD Environmental Performance Reviews for the following countries: United States, Japan, Canada, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Sweden and United Kingdom. The analysis is based on the pressure-state-response approach developed by OECD and structured in two parts: a horizontal comparison describes the development of environmental policies in eight countries in the area of clean air policy, water management, waste management, and nature conservation. This chapter describes most relevant environmental problems and its sources, environmental policy targets, instruments and measures, relevant government and private spending and finally assesses successful and innovative measures and strategies identified in the respective performance reviews. Chapter two follows the same approach by describing and analysing the level of integration of environmental concerns into economic policy, energy policy, agricultural policy and transport policy. In an additional vertical comparative chapter these policy areas are summarised for each country separately.