Bauer, Steurer: Regional adaptation partnerships in Canada and the UK Multi-level governance through regional adaptation partnerships Multi-level governance through regional adaptation partnerships Anja Bauer and Reinhard Steurer BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Austria Symposium „The Governance of Adaptation“ Amsterdam, 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 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 cases UK: 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 NGOsResearchIndustry 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 Horizontal coordin. between partnerships 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 planning Variety of sectors: infrastructure, housing, land management Indirectly by guidance and tools, directly involved in planning processes (esp. London) Regional policies Strategies (adaptation and other sectors, e.g. water) Implementation mechanism for adaptation strategy (UK) National policies Restricted to adaptation policies Providing local and regional perspective in the policy formulation Delivery 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 Strengths Management/Staff Good personal relations Partners Collaboration and communication Networking ability Consensus and agreement Good products and progress Willingness to work together Independence from government (national) Regional identity Driven by local needs Flexible and responsive Trust Good links to Defra, Climate UK Longevity Usefulness UK Canada

Bauer, Steurer: Regional adaptation partnerships in Canada and the UK Challenges Funding Capacity Adaptation long-term issue -> Low priority Mitigation vs. adaptation Lack of understanding + awareness Scepticism Engaging the unwilling Different ‘languages’ of partners Data availability or access to existing data Little cooperation with relevant national agencies Contentious, political issues Gaining and maintaining engagement in the longer term Lack of leadership Too short, too narrow focus Changing political landscape Regional governments abolished Little engagement of private sector Measuring the impacts of the partnerships work on the ground Lack of economic evidence for benefits of adaptation (short-term) Not becoming a talking shop UK Canada

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! Thank you! Anja Bauer, Reinhard Steurer BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Austria

Bauer, Steurer: Regional adaptation partnerships in Canada and the UK Within partnershipsBetween partnershipsWith national level Coordination structures Management Organizational bodies: Steering Committee, Executive Group, etc., Working groups, projects Workshops, trainings, events Communication Bodies: ClimateUK (till 2011), National coordination committee Not –for –Profit -Organization: ClimateUK (since summer 2011) Projects: e.g. project on tourism between Climate SouthEast und Climate SouthWest Bodies: LRAP/LAAP, National coordination committee Funding: ACC Programme (Defra)/Environment Agency, RAC Program National org. in partnerships: UKCIP, Environment Agency; NRCAN Coordination modi Network governance: horizontal, voluntary, trust, consensus, identification Little competition Partly hierarchical Coordination structures and modi