The engagement of environmental organizations on land policies: A case study of Pro Natura, Switzerland

Abstract

The growing tension around land use issues is pressuring public authorities to regulate land use due to factors such as climate change and biodiversity preservation. Third-party actors, like non-profit organizations, play a significant role in land policies by owning land, monitoring conservation easements, and influencing regulatory decisions through expertise, media campaigns, and legal actions. This article aims to understand the strategies of environmental organizations to engage in land policies in Western European countries. It highlights the various actions these organizations use to impact land planning and regulation, including market-based instruments, political lobbying, and public campaigning. Using a Swiss case study based on document analysis and expert interviews, the study reveals the dual role of environmental organizations, as both allies and competitors of public authorities in achieving their objectives. Consequently, the paper demonstrates that environmental organizations act as crucial intermediaries in the development of land policies. Finally, the article recommends that planners and land-use experts disclose any intermediation relationships or regulatory roles supported by environmental organizations to increase transparency and accountability in land policy. • This study provides an example on how environmental organizations engage in land policies. • Environmental organizations use different strategies, from insider, outsider and unnatural insider. • They engage in land policies through market-based tools, lobbying or litigation. • They can act as competitor, ally or intermediary to public authorities.

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