OECD Environmental Performance Reviews: Hungary 2018
Hungary has made significant progress in decoupling its output growth from main environmental pressures, largely due to implementing requirements of EU directives. However, greenhouse gas emissions have started to pick up with the recent rebound of economic activity. Local air quality has not improved significantly, and water quality remains at risk. Important institutional challenges impede more effective implementation of environmental laws and policies. Hungary can accelerate the transition towards a low-carbon and greener economy, particularly by investing in residential energy efficiency and sound waste and material management, and better mainstreaming of biodiversity protection into sectoral economic policies.
This is the third Environmental Performance Review of Hungary. It evaluates progress towards sustainable development and green growth, with special features on waste, material management and circular economy, and biodiversity.
Environmental governance and management
Hungary has strengthened its regulatory framework for environmental management. However, institutional challenges impede more effective implementation of environmental law and the uptake of good regulatory practices. More needs to be done to preserve environmental democracy. This chapter analyses Hungary’s environmental governance system, including horizontal and vertical institutional co‑ordination, setting and enforcement of environmental requirements. It also addresses public participation in decision making and access to environmental information, education and justice.