National policy is a statement containing principles and a broad course of action adopted by the national government in pursuit of a specific objective. It is a government document that outlines a broad course of action focused on sustainable country development over a period of time. National policies are used to guide decision-making towards the achievement of a stated outcome. They are statements that contain principles and broad courses of action taken by national governments regarding specific objectives. National policies should establish a planning system and framework for development, protect and preserve natural resources, shed light on the environmental impact assessment of planned projects, ensure regulatory standards are adhered to, and avoid any adverse impacts on an environmental or social level.

Examples of national policies include the National Policy, which was a Canadian economic program introduced by John A. Macdonalds Conservative Party in 1876. The policy aimed to aid Canada in creating a true country with a national economy. The current national policy in Canada relies on Canada-US free trade and NAFTA free trade, market-based policies, and fiscal restraint. Another example is the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) in the US, which requires federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions prior to making decisions. The range of actions covered by NEPA is broad and includes making decisions on permit applications, adopting federal land management actions, and constructing highways and other publicly-owned facilities.