Multi-Level Governance through Regional Adaptation Partnerships

1. Multi-level governance through regional adaptation partnershipsAnja Bauer and ReinhardSteurer BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Austria Symposium „The Governanceof Adaptation“ Amsterdam, 22-23March 2012

2. Orientation • The Go-Adaptproject • Partnershipsasnewgovernanceapproaches • Regional Adaptation Partnerships in Canada andthe UK • Scopeofcollaboration • Objects ofcoordination • Waysofcoordination • Conclusions

3. The GO-ADAPT project General Fundedbythe Austrian Climate Research Program (ACRP), 1st Call Duration: April 2010 - December 2012 Partner: Austrian Environment Agency Objective Analyse theGovernance of Adaptation to Climate Change, i.e. howgovernmentsdevelopandimplementadaptationpolicies – focus on institutionsandgoverningprocesses, not on policycontents 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

4. Partnerships as newgovernanceapproaches Partnerships • Collaborativearrangements in a broadlydefinedissuearea • Heterogeneousactorsfrom different levelsandsocietalspheres 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?

5. Cautiouscomparison • Size ofthe countries and regions: Region ≠ Region • Political systems: CA=federalstatevs. UK=unitarystate • Governanceperspective: levelbetween national /federallevel and locallevel

6. The cases UK: Regional Climate Change Partnerships (RCCP) London Climate Change Partnership, ClimateSouthEast, Climate South West Canada: Regional Adaptation Collaboratives (RAC) RAC British Columbia, Prairies RAC, RAC Atlantic • Since 1999 • 11 partnerships • By regional bodies, supportedbyDefra, EA, UKCIP • Investigating and advising on the regional and local impacts of CC and the development of respective responses • Broadthematicfocus: tourism, planning, water, businesses, … • Since 2009 (3years) • 6 collaboratives • RAC-ProgrambyNRCan • Capacitate decision-makers to make policy, operational, and management changes in response to CC • Narrower thematic focus: water management

7. Actors & coordinationpathes Vertical coordination Horizontal coordination between public & private actors Horizontal coordination Horizontal coordin. between partnerships • - Partner: taking part in activities of the partnership •  - Key partner: also involved in steeringthepartnership • + - Main targetgroupoftheactivities/productsofthepartnership

8. Substanceofcoordination Verticalcoordination in thepublicdomain: • Sub-national actorsco-shapenational adaptationpolicies • National actorscoordinateadaptationpoliciesatregional and locallevels Horizontal coordinationbetweensectors/policydomains • …. • … Horizontal coordinationbetweenpublic and private actors • …. • … Horizontal coordinationbetwenpartnerships • …. • …

9. Objectofcoordination - Policies Localpolicies and planning Variety of sectors: infrastructure, housing, land management Indirectlybyguidance and tools, directlyinvolved in planningprocesses (esp. London) Regional policies Strategies (adaptation and othersectors, e.g. water) Implementationmechanismforadaptationstrategy (UK) National policies Restricted to adaptationpolicies Providinglocal and regional perspective in thepolicyformulation Delivery mechanismsfor national adaptationpolicy

10. Objectofcoordination – Adaptive capacities Buildingtheknowledgebase Providing guidance Facilitatingnetworking Fosteringlearning Raisingawareness

11. Processofcoordination • Means and structuresofcoordination: • Management & organizationalbodies: SteeringCommittee, Executive Group, etc., • Working groups, projects • Workshops, trainings, events • National level: Funding & coordinationbodies • Modes ofcoordination – vertical: • CA: to-down, hierarchytransmission of national agenda/policy to regions, via national programme; close supervision by NRCan • UK: bottom-up, mutual interaction patterns • Modes ofcoordination – horizontal: In CA & UK: Network governance: voluntary, trust, consensus, identification, littlecompetition

12. Conclusions • Partnerships as institutionalresponse to the multi-levelgovernancechallengeofadaptation • Importantcoordinationmechanismforactorsbetween and withinlevels • Many activities, mainly capacity building and coordination – the latter also aiming at influencing policies • Aim at informingdecision-making at variouslevels • Distinctpatternsofgoverningthroughpartnerships • 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

13. http://www.wiso.boku.ac.at/go-adapt.html Thankyou!Anja Bauer, ReinhardSteureranja.bauer@boku.ac.at, reinhard.steurer@boku.ac.at BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Austria