Can local environmental regulation of companies deal with a broader environmental view? Kasper Dirckinck-Holmfeld 1 and Carla K. Smink 2 Abstract Environmental concern of companies has gradually expanded from a focus on local environmental problems to a broader inclusion of inputs as well as lifecycle perspectives. At the same time, the regulatory approach has changed from a “pure” command-and-control regime, towards a governance regime, where strict regulations increasingly are supplemented with other regulatory instruments such as economic incentives, information and facilitation. In Denmark, municipalities are the competent authority for companies. Throughout the last decade, several attempts to expand competences of municipalities to include more facilitating and catalytic aspects as well as promoting cleaner technology and pollution prevention have been tried out. However today, most municipalities still rely on traditional command-and-control mechanisms as well as targeting at the traditional local environmental concerns. However the reason years renewed focus on Climate and Energy seems to provide perspectives to reintroduces this more facilitating role and focus on broader environmental aspects. Keywords: Environmental regulation, companies, Governance, Local authorities and Pollution Prevention. Introduction Environmental concern of companies is generally described as a gradually expansion from a focus on local environmental problems (air, water and soil) to a broader inclusion of inputs (e.g. resources, materials and energy) as well as the whole production chain and products (Remmen 2001, Kørnøv 2007, Jørgensen 2009). Likewise, several authors agitate that the regulatory approach has changed from a “pure” Command and Control regime, towards a governance regime, where strict regulations are supplemented with other regulatory instruments such as economic incentives, information and facilitation (Bäckstrand et al. 2010, Weale et al. 2003; Jänicke 2008). Looking at the whole regulative set-up affecting companies in Denmark, Denmark is with several different policy tools and instruments addressing a broader environmental concern and as such is in line with these overall terminologies. However, this paper takes a closer look at the direct regulation of companies, and question that in relation to this, such movement in approach has been implemented. The overall regulative framework for the direct regulation of companies set out by both EU regulation (e.g. IPPC/IED) and national legislation is addressing pollution prevention and best available technology as central parameter to apply. The interviewed caseworkers at local authorities do also acknowledge that there is amble room for addressing broader environmental aspects especially as part of a more facilitating role in prolongation of the traditional authority role. However they do stress, that this room is not utilised. During the late 80’ties and 90’ties, several attempts to supplement command and control regulation by e.g. promotion of Cleaner Technologies and Environmental Management System has been carried (Baur et. a., 1998; Kromann et. al., 1996). The latest guidance document on surveillance from 2006 also stated that the 1 Corresponding author. Department of Development and Planning, Aalborg University, A.C. Meyersvænge 15, 2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark; kadir@plan.aau.dk phone (+45) 60 86 89 65 2 Department of Development and Planning, Aalborg University, Vestre Havnepromenade 9, DK-9000 – Aalborg, Denmark; carla@plan.aau.dk phone (+45) 99 40 98 05