Bauer, Steurer: Regional adaptation partnerships in Canada and the UK

Multi-level governance through regional adaptation partnerships

Anja Bauer and Reinhard Steurer

BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life SciencesVienna, Austria

Symposium „The Governance of Adaptation“ Amsterdam, 22-23 March 2012

Bauer, Steurer: Regional adaptation partnerships in Canada and the UK

The Go-Adapt project

Partnerships as new governance approaches

Regional Adaptation Partnerships in Canada and the UK

Scope of collaboration

Objects of coordination

Ways of coordination

Conclusions

Orientation

Bauer, Steurer: Regional adaptation partnerships in Canada and the UK

The GO-ADAPT project

General Funded by the Austrian Climate Research Program (ACRP), 1st Call Duration: April 2010 - December 2012 Partner: Austrian Environment Agency

Objective Analyse the Governance of Adaptation to Climate Change, i.e. how governments develop and

implement adaptation policies – focus on institutions and governing processes, not on policy contents

Work packages Stock taking survey: provides an overview of how 10 OECD countries tackle four governance

challenges that emerge when developing adaptation policies Case studies: analyse in how far selected governance approaches contribute to adaptation policies Extended literature review: aims to draw lessons from thematically related policy fields that are

characterised by similar governance challenges Synthesis of results: compares the case studies (cross-case analysis) in the light of the lessons

drawn from the extended literature review

Bauer, Steurer: Regional adaptation partnerships in Canada and the UK

Partnerships as new governance approaches

Partnerships Collaborative arrangements in a broadly defined issue area Heterogeneous actors from different levels and societal spheres

Expectations Effective, inclusive and legitimate mode of societal governing Innovative solutions and policies Go-Adapt- Survey -> important governance approach – vertical integration, stakeholder participation

Questions In which way and to which extent do regional partnerships serve as a coordination mechanism

between different levels (local, regional, national) as well as between societal domains? In how far do partnerships contribute to climate change adaptation in terms of adaptive capacities

and adaptation policies?

Bauer, Steurer: Regional adaptation partnerships in Canada and the UK

• Size of the countries and regions: Region ≠ Region

• Political systems: CA=federal state vs. UK=unitary state• Governance perspective: level between national /federal level and local level

Cautious comparison

Bauer, Steurer: Regional adaptation partnerships in Canada and the UK

The casesUK: Regional Climate Change Partnerships (RCCP)London Climate Change Partnership, Climate SouthEast, Climate

South West

Canada: Regional Adaptation Collaboratives (RAC)

RAC British Columbia, Prairies RAC, RAC Atlantic

Since 1999 11 partnerships By regional bodies, supported by Defra, EA, UKCIP Investigating and advising on the regional and local

impacts of CC and the development of respective responses

Broad thematic focus: tourism, planning, water, businesses, …

Since 2009 (3 years) 6 collaboratives RAC-Program by NRCan Capacitate decision-makers to make policy,

operational, and management changes in response to CC

Narrower thematic focus: water management

Bauer, Steurer: Regional adaptation partnerships in Canada and the UK

Vertical coordination Horizontal coordination between public & private actors

Actors & coordination pathes

National authorities

Regional/ provincial authorities

Local authorities

Public Agencies

NGOs Research Industry

RAC BC + Prairies RAC + RAC Atlantic + Climate SouthEast

() + +

Climate SouthWest

() + +

London CCP + + +

- Partner: taking part in activities of the partnership - Key partner: also involved in steering the partnership+ - Main target group of the activities/products of the partnership

H

ori

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tal coord

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betw

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part

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Horizontal coordination

Bauer, Steurer: Regional adaptation partnerships in Canada and the UK

Substance of coordination

Vertical coordination in the public domain: Sub-national actors co-shape national adaptation policies National actors coordinate adaptation policies at regional and local levels

Horizontal coordination between sectors/policy domains …. …

Horizontal coordination between public and private actors …. …

Horizontal coordination betwen partnerships …. …

Bauer, Steurer: Regional adaptation partnerships in Canada and the UK

Object of coordination - Policies

Local policies and planningVariety of sectors: infrastructure, housing, land management

Indirectly by guidance and tools, directly involved in planning processes (esp. London)

Regional policiesStrategies (adaptation and other sectors, e.g. water)

Implementation mechanism for adaptation strategy (UK)

National policiesRestricted to adaptation policies

Providing local and regional perspective in the policy formulationDelivery mechanisms for national adaptation policy

Bauer, Steurer: Regional adaptation partnerships in Canada and the UK

Object of coordination – Adaptive capacities

Building the knowledge base

Providing guidance

Facilitating networking

Fostering learning

Raising awareness

Bauer, Steurer: Regional adaptation partnerships in Canada and the UK

Process of coordination

Means and structures of coordination:• Management & organizational bodies: Steering Committee, Executive Group, etc., • Working groups, projects• Workshops, trainings, events• National level: Funding & coordination bodies

Modes of coordination – vertical: CA: to-down, hierarchy transmission of national agenda/policy to regions, via national

programme; close supervision by NRCan UK: bottom-up, mutual interaction patterns

Modes of coordination – horizontal: In CA & UK: Network governance: voluntary, trust, consensus, identification, little competition

Bauer, Steurer: Regional adaptation partnerships in Canada and the UK

Conclusions

Partnerships as institutional response to the multi-level governance challenge of adaptation Important coordination mechanism for actors between and within levels Many activities, mainly capacity building and coordination – the latter also aiming

at influencing policies Aim at informing decision-making at various levels

Distinct patterns of governing through partnerships Limited project vs Continuous partnership Closed vs open membership Government vs led - stakeholder-led Driven by national agenda vs driven by regional and local needs Hierarchical, one-sided steering vs network mode, two sided relationship

Bauer, Steurer: Regional adaptation partnerships in Canada and the UK

Thank you!

Anja Bauer, Reinhard Steurer anja.bauer@boku.ac.at, reinhard.steurer@boku.ac.at

BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life SciencesVienna, Austria

http://www.wiso.boku.ac.at/go-adapt.html