Conservation of Nature in Spain and France. Comparative Analysis of the implementation process of the European Directive Habitats

This article analyses the implementation process of the EU Directive Habitats in natural areas belonging to the network Nature 2000. Particularly, its authors study some cases in France and Spain, comparing the administrative systems and the social dynamics involved in the implementation of this European policy, which is designed to foster the conservation of biodiversity. Firstly, the procedures used in both countries to define the so-called LIC are compared; in this respect, it is shown that in France, the government has sought the participation of various social groups, whereas in Spain, the implementation process has been dominated by the environmental agencies of regional governments. Secondly, the interaction between interest groups is analysed in order to see if they manage to balance conflicting interests regarding the natural area concerned. The study's main conclusion is that in both countries, the social and economic context at the local level, rather than the administrative system or the conservationist attitudes of government agencies, constitutes the key for explaining the success or failure of environmental policies. Consequently, the probability of success in terms of program implementation is higher in areas where, a bargaining process among local interest groups has previously generated a suitable equilibrium between environmental protection and economic development interests.