In the debate on governance the concept of responsibility is frequently invoked but remains underdeveloped. This article aims at showing its analytical relevance as a means of interpreting ongoing changes in policy approaches and for evaluating their ability to cope with environmental challenges. Four dimensions of responsibility are singled out: care, liability, accountability and responsiveness. The caring state has been overtaken, to a remarkable extent, by new arrangements centred on the expansion of liability and above all accountability, while responsiveness remains a rather neglected aspect. Such neglect represents a major reason for the debatable results of governance as regards environmental protection and the recovery of institutional and corporate legitimacy and social trust.