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ökologische Lenkungswirkung

English translation: environmental steering effect

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:ökologische Lenkungswirkung
English translation:environmental steering effect
Entered by: Kim Metzger

15:33 Nov 25, 2007
German to English translations [PRO]
Social Sciences - Government / Politics / German motorway truck toll
German term or phrase: ökologische Lenkungswirkung
To achieve an "ökologische Lenkungswirkung" is essentially to steer people in the direction of ecological responsibility, a kind of behavior modification technique.

I translated "Er hat diesen Schritt mit Anforderungen verknüpft, die neben dem Einnahmeziel auch eine ökologische Lenkungswirkung bezwecken" as follows:
"They linked this step to requirements that in addition to achieving the revenue targets would also steer people in the direction of ecological responsibility."

I translated the second instance of the term, "Nach drei Jahren erfolgreichem Betrieb lässt sich auch sagen, dass die ökologische Lenkungswirkung der Lkw deutlich spürbar ist."
as "After three years of successful operation, one can also say that the ecological behaviour modification effect on the trucks is quite noticeable."

But "ecological behavior modification effect", although it reflects what I believe to be the meaning, is not nearly as diplomatic as Lenkungswirkung. I'd appreciate your thoughts on this.

Der Gesetzgeber hat daraus die politische Entscheidung abgeleitet, mit der Einführung einer Lkw-Maut für Fahrzeuge über 12 Tonnen auf Bundesautobahnen und ausgewählten Bundesstraßen einen Schritt in Richtung Nutzerfinanzierung zu vollziehen. Er hat diesen Schritt mit Anforderungen verknüpft, die neben dem Einnahmeziel auch eine ökologische Lenkungswirkung bezwecken.... Das bedeutete im wesentlichen ein Free-Flow-System, das in der Lage ist, weitere mautpflichtige Strecken zu integrieren, eine nach Schadstoffklasse und Achszahl differenzierte Maut zu erheben ...

Nach drei Jahren erfolgreichem Betrieb lässt sich auch sagen, dass die ökologische Lenkungswirkung der Lkw deutlich spürbar ist. Ein Vergleich der Anteile der Lkw nach Schadstoffklassen zwischen 2005 und jetzt belegt einen Trend hin zu schadstoffärmeren Fahrzeugen. Dies ist ohne Zweifel auch eine Folge der schadstoffabhängigen Mauthöhe.
Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 18:48
ecological steering effect
Explanation:
Not an exceptionally common term, but the google returns for "ecological steering effect" show some relevant documents. "Ecological steering" provides even more.
Selected response from:

Alan Johnson
Germany
Local time: 02:48
Grading comment
Many thanks to all of you. It was difficult to select a "winner" here. I did change ecological to environmental, and effect on trucks was silly, of course. I was a little worried that "steering effect" could be translatorese, but after some online research I found that the phrase is widely used in this context.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4ecological guidance effect
Tilman Lichter
4behaviour modification in favour of more ecological choices/practices
Beth Jones
3ecological steering effect
Alan Johnson
3ecological (policy) shift / positive ecological effect
Bernhard Sulzer
3shift to(wards) environmentally responsible behavio(u)r
Steffen Walter


  

Answers


5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
ecological steering effect


Explanation:
Not an exceptionally common term, but the google returns for "ecological steering effect" show some relevant documents. "Ecological steering" provides even more.


    Reference: http://www.google.co.uk/search?num=20&hl=en&safe=off&q=%22ec...
Alan Johnson
Germany
Local time: 02:48
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 23
Grading comment
Many thanks to all of you. It was difficult to select a "winner" here. I did change ecological to environmental, and effect on trucks was silly, of course. I was a little worried that "steering effect" could be translatorese, but after some online research I found that the phrase is widely used in this context.
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9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
ecological guidance effect


Explanation:
I think that would fit both sentences.

Tilman Lichter
Canada
Local time: 20:48
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
behaviour modification in favour of more ecological choices/practices


Explanation:
Hi Kim!
I’m doing this on the fly, so I hope I’m on the right track for you.

If applying behavioural modification terminology
( e.g.:
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Behavior modification is a technique of altering an individual's behaviors and reactions to stimuli through positive and negative reinforcement of adaptive behavior and/or the extinction of maladaptive behavior through positive and negative conditioning. ...")

...you could (if you think it’s appropriate) take it a step farther, e.g.:
“… one can also say that the trucking companies (truck manufacturers?) have experienced a certain degree of ecological conditioning”

(I personally don’t interpret the text to mean that it’s the trucks that are having /experiencing the “Wirkung”, but that it’s the companies buying and utilizing (i.e. fuelling) and/or manufacturing them who are modifying their practices, i.e. in regard to ‘Nutzerfinanzierung’.)

So:
“…one can also say that the trucking companies (truck manufacturers?) have experienced a certain degree of behaviour modification in favour of more ecological choices/practices…” ?

HTH, and all the best,
Beth



Beth Jones
Austria
Local time: 02:48
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
ecological (policy) shift / positive ecological effect


Explanation:
for the second instance, it would make sense if it said "Lkw-Maut" instead of just Lkw:
...Nach drei Jahren erfolgreichem Betrieb lässt sich auch sagen, dass die ökologische Lenkungswirkung der Lkw*-Maut* deutlich spürbar ist.

Here, I guess it could be simply "positive/significant ecological effect" - it's more about the actual effect than people's real attitudes (they are forced to behave in an ecologically sound manner).

or freer:

has positively/decisively influenced ecological behavior
has significantly/decisively increased ecological awareness

had a significant ecological impact (but that could be negative, even though context suggests the positive change)

has forced/successfully steered people/payers towards ecological responsibility. (similar to your solution for the first instance).

As far as the first instance is concerned, it could also describe a (n ecological) policy shift (= based on ecological considerations, as in similar toll plans) But it depends on further context.

http://www.katalysejournal.oekoserve.net/fp/archiv/AfA_geldf...
wer weniger fährt, zahlt weniger

Bernhard Sulzer
United States
Local time: 20:48
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 60
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23 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
shift to(wards) environmentally responsible behavio(u)r


Explanation:
I'd prefer a collocation containing "environmental", rather than "ecological".

Full sentence:
Following three years of successful operation, it can also be noted that the (road) toll has led to a clearly tangible shift to(wards) environmentally responsible behavio(u)r among truck operators (freight forwarders).

I definitely think that they are talking about truck operators (i. e. haulage companies, freight forwarders) here.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 hrs (2007-11-26 15:24:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I concur with Bernhard that they meant to refer to the "ökologische Lenkungswirkung der Lkw-*Maut* ".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 hrs (2007-11-26 15:26:22 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

IMHO the "ökologische Lenkungswirkung" is (as explained in your paragraph) that haulage/freight forwarding co.s tend to buy more low-emission vehicles than before.

Steffen Walter
Germany
Local time: 02:48
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 149
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