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Climate Policy in Fragmented Political Environments–Transformative Governance Interactions at Multiple Levels

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Air, Climate Change and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2020) | Viewed by 38718

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Duncan Russel

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Guest Editor

Department of Politics, University of Exeter, EX4 4RJ Exeter, UK
Interests: climate policy; environmental policy; evidence-based policy; policy appraisal

Dr. Anne Jensen

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Guest Editor

Department of Environmental Science, University of Aarhus, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
Interests: environmental policy; climate policy; cities and governance

Dr. Helle Ørsted Nielsen

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Guest Editor

Department of Political Science and Department of Environmental Science, University of Aarhus, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
Interests: environmental policy; climate policy; policy analysis; agricultural policy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We invite submissions to a Special Issue entitled: Climate Policy in Fragmented Political Environments—Transformative Governance Interactions at Multiple Levels.

Climate policy is a problem of collective action par excellence. As such, questions abound over at which governance level it is best to take action for climate mitigation, and how climate change adaptation at the local level can be managed at different governance levels to avoid unintended spill-overs into other localities and/or policy sectors. Against this background, there is a parallel question, which concerns transitions and which reveals whether climate policy merely seeks to intervene in current economic and social systems or whether it seeks innovative approaches to transform the very basis of these systems. In this context, this Special Issue seeks empirical and theoretical papers on climate mitigation or adaptation policy that broadly addresses questions of transition stimulated or hampered by climate policy. Specifically, papers should address one or more of the following questions: 1) How do different governance levels impact upon the design and effectiveness of climate policy; 2) What constellations of policy actors occur at and across different policy levels and how do these constellations affect policy making and/or implementation; and 3) are some governance levels more suited to addressing specific aspects of climate policy including more transformative approaches, and if so, why/how? Papers can chose to predominantly focus on one governance level as the unit of analysis, but must consider this level in the context of interaction with activities at higher and/or lower governance levels.

Intially we invite the submission of 300 word abstracts by 22 February 2019. We will inform authors as to whether we would like them to submit articles to the Special Issue by 15 March. Full papers of around 8000 words will need to be submitted for review by 30 November 2019.

Yours faithfully,

Dr. Anne Jensen,
Dr. Helle Ørsted Nielsen,
Dr. Duncan Russel
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

8 pages, 194 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Climate Policy in a Fragmented World—Transformative Governance Interactions at Multiple Levels

by Anne Jensen, Helle Ørsted Nielsen and Duncan Russel

Sustainability 2020, 12(23), 10017; https://doi.org/10.3390/su122310017 - 30 Nov 2020

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2683

Abstract

The call for fundamental changes to meet the challenges of climate change is rising across scientific disciplines, communities, and countries [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Policy in Fragmented Political Environments–Transformative Governance Interactions at Multiple Levels)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

18 pages, 320 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Policy Coordination for National Climate Change Adaptation in Europe: All Process, but Little Power

by Duncan Russel, Sergio Castellari, Alessio Capriolo, Suraje Dessai, Mikael Hildén, Anne Jensen, Eleni Karali, Kirsi Mäkinen, Helle Ørsted Nielsen, Sabine Weiland, Roos den Uyl and Jenny Tröltzsch

Sustainability 2020, 12(13), 5393; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12135393 - 3 Jul 2020

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 12722

Abstract

Climate change adaptation (CCA) is argued to require coordinated policy responses because it is a complex, long-term, knowledge intensive, cross-sectoral, and multi-level governance challenge that involves many interdependencies and actors with different perceptions, goals, and approaches. This study, therefore, examines approaches of a set of European Union (EU) member states (Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom (England)) to pursue a more coordinated approach to CCA policy. It specifically addresses the co-ordination approaches that the selected countries use for the development and implementation of their national CCA policies in the immediate period following the publication of the EU’s 2013 Adaptation Strategy. The analysis demonstrates that while useful coordination processes have been established in the analyzed EU member states, they have difficulty in challenging existing institutional hierarchies and decision rules. Consequently, longer-term opportunities for managing CCA conflicts and synergies among sectoral policies have to date been limited. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Policy in Fragmented Political Environments–Transformative Governance Interactions at Multiple Levels)

26 pages, 613 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transformational Adaptation in Least Developed Countries: Does Expanded Stakeholder Participation Make a Difference?

by Joseph Holler, Quinn Bernier, J. Timmons Roberts and Stacy-ann Robinson

Sustainability 2020, 12(4), 1657; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12041657 - 22 Feb 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5253

Abstract

Did the novel planning arrangements in the National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) enable stakeholders to substantively influence adaptation planning? If so, does the observed influence have potential for more transformational adaptation? We inform these questions by reviewing and coding the first 50 NAPAs, prepared by the world’s poorest nations with support from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). We then apply categorical statistics and qualitative comparative analysis to test for stakeholder influence on the planning process and outcomes. We find little evidence that the composition of stakeholder participation influenced climate vulnerability analysis or adaptation planning in the NAPAs. Although the NAPAs were designed to be participatory and country-driven, they were constrained by limited budgets, prescribed guidelines from the UNFCCC, and the challenges of cultivating effective stakeholder participation. Key aspects of NAPAs even worked against generating transformational adaptation. Chief amongst these, risk exposure and sensitivity were emphasized over adaptive capacity in assessing vulnerability, and cost- effectiveness and synergies with existing development and environmental policies were priorities for selecting adaptation actions. These barriers to effective stakeholder engagement and transformational adaptation are timely reminders for those countries currently in the process of preparing their National Adaptation Plans to the UNFCCC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Policy in Fragmented Political Environments–Transformative Governance Interactions at Multiple Levels)

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18 pages, 737 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Greening Vienna. The Multi-Level Interplay of Urban Environmental Policy–Making

by Elisabetta Mocca, Michael Friesenecker and Yuri Kazepov

Sustainability 2020, 12(4), 1577; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12041577 - 20 Feb 2020

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5258

Abstract

Vienna is widely recognised as an example of urban sustainability, crowned as one of the most liveable cities worldwide by several quality of life rankings. Despite being highly committed to incorporating the ecological and social dimension into its urban development strategy, Vienna is undergoing a deep transition, orienting its urban policy more closely toward economic criteria and techno-managerial solutions to climate change. While European capitals have been extensively studied, research on Vienna’s environmental policy strategies lacks international visibility in urban studies. To address this paucity of research, this article identifies and unpacks critical junctures, moments characterised by policy shifts occurred in the last 30 years. The article disentangles the synchronisation or de-synchronisation of the inter- and cross-level relations underpinning Vienna’s policy changes. From a methodological standpoint, we employ a process tracing method relying on evidence gathered through the analysis of regulatory and policy documents complemented by interviews with key informants involved in the policy-making process at different territorial levels. The findings cast light on the benefits of and barriers to multilevel coordination in the realm of climate policy and adaptation strategies, pinning down the critical junctures and the multilevel interaction in Vienna’s climate policy evolution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Policy in Fragmented Political Environments–Transformative Governance Interactions at Multiple Levels)

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25 pages, 7509 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Policy Acceptance of Low-Consumption Governance Approaches: The Effect of Social Norms and Hypocrisy

by Dan Thorman, Lorraine Whitmarsh and Christina Demski

Sustainability 2020, 12(3), 1247; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12031247 - 9 Feb 2020

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4208

Abstract

Tackling over-consumption of resources and associated emissions at the lifestyle level will be crucial to climate change mitigation. Understanding the public acceptability of policy aimed at behaviour change in this domain will help to focus strategy towards effective and targeted solutions. Across two studies (n = 259, 300) we consider how policy approaches at different levels of governance (individual, community, and national) might be influenced by the inducement of hypocrisy and the activation of social norms. We also examine the influence of these experimental manipulations upon behavioural intention to reduce consumption (e.g., repair not replace, avoiding luxuries). Dynamic social norm framing was unsuccessful in producing an effect on policy acceptance or intentions to reduce consumption. Information provision about the impact of individual consumption on global climate change increased support for radical policies at the national level (banning environmentally harmful consumption practices) and the community level (working fewer hours, sharing material products, collaborative food cultivation), yet the inducement of hypocrisy had no additional effect. This is in contrast to individual-level behavioural intentions, where the inducement of hypocrisy decreased intentions to engage in high-consumption behaviour. This paper concludes with implications for low-consumption governance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Policy in Fragmented Political Environments–Transformative Governance Interactions at Multiple Levels)

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17 pages, 267 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Can Regional-Scale Governance and Planning Support Transformative Adaptation? A Study of Two Places

by Mikael Granberg, Karyn Bosomworth, Susie Moloney, Ann-Catrin Kristianssen and Hartmut Fünfgeld

Sustainability 2019, 11(24), 6978; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11246978 - 6 Dec 2019

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 5219

Abstract

The idea that climate change adaptation is best leveraged at the local scale is a well-institutionalized script in both research and formal governance. This idea is based on the argument that the local scale is where climate change impacts are “felt” and experienced. However, sustainable and just climate futures require transformations in systems, norms, and cultures that underpin and reinforce our unsustainable practices and development pathways, not just “local” action. Governance interventions are needed to catalyse such shifts, connecting multilevel and multiscale boundaries of knowledge, values, levels and organizational remits. We critically reflect on current adaptation governance processes in Victoria, Australia and the Gothenburg region, Sweden to explore whether regional-scale governance can provide just as important leverage for adaptation as local governance, by identifying and addressing intersecting gaps and challenges in adaptation at local levels. We suggest that regional-scale adaptation offers possibilities for transformative change because they can identify, connect, and amplify small-scale (local) wins and utilize this collective body of knowledge to challenge and advocate for unblocking stagnated, institutionalized policies and practices, and support transformative change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Policy in Fragmented Political Environments–Transformative Governance Interactions at Multiple Levels)

16 pages, 229 KiB

Open AccessArticle

“Take It or Leave It”: From Collaborative to Regulative Developer Dialogues in Six Swedish Municipalities Aiming to Climate-Proof Urban Planning

by Sofie Storbjörk, Mattias Hjerpe and Erik Glaas

Sustainability 2019, 11(23), 6739; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11236739 - 27 Nov 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2677

Abstract

Enhancing legitimacy and effectiveness of climate policy requires improved interactions between and within administrative levels, the latter including horizontal public–private coordination. In the heavily decentralized Swedish urban planning process, developer dialogues are used to enhance collaboration and thereby increase the climate-proofing of new housing districts. In practice, municipalities struggle with identifying what types of collaborative arrangements best support the realization of climate goals, in light of strong property developer interests and bargaining. Based on qualitative interviews with coordinating planners, this paper illustrates lessons from repeated collaborative practices in six Swedish municipalities. We analytically characterize a shift between first- and second-generation developer dialogues. In first-generation dialogues, coordinators attempted to ensure jointly agreed upon principles, priorities and commitments, which instead resulted in troublesome negotiations. In second-generation dialogues, coordinators used mixed approaches to ensure more competitive and climate-proof urban development by mechanisms of indirect command and control. Principles of collaborative interaction were abandoned to regain control over urban planning. This documented shift contrasts heavily with theoretical assumptions from the climate governance literature, where enhanced collaboration assumedly increase effectiveness of climate policy implementation. Acknowledging the practical implications of using developer dialogues to climate-proof urban planning in different settings is critical for improved policy implementation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Policy in Fragmented Political Environments–Transformative Governance Interactions at Multiple Levels)

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