“Beyond effectiveness” The uses of Finland’s national programme to promote sustainable consumption and production YHYS Colloquium Annukka Berg & Janne I. Hukkinen, HY

The initial contradiction The stated task of national SCP programmes: “to act as a framework for systemic thought across sectors, driving development towards commonly agreed goals” (UNEP, 2008). In the case of Finland’s SCP programme, few outputs unambiguous consequence of programme implementation – to say nothing of outcomes.

Beyond effectiveness Traditonal programme evaluation would provide a very grim (and dull) picture of the programme. However, in the interviews, experts involved in the process described it in many positive and critical terms that fell beyond the notion of effectiveness.

Broad policy-oriented programmes reflections of network governance Institutional ambiguity Knowledge-for-action theories: how knowledge moves to achieve some outcomes Knowledge utilisation, e.g. instrumental, conceptual, and symbolic use Network governance and knowledge utilisation

(1)How have the central actors of Finland’s SCP programme process used the programme and the process? (2)What kinds of uses have they anticipated and perceived to take place? (3) What does the use perspective reveal about the dynamics, meaningfulness and legitimacy of the process? Research questions

Research material 20 focused interviews with actors who were closely involved in the making of the SCP programme Programme documents and reports Material about the whole process considered in the analysis

Transforming various programme inputs into planned outputs and outcomes. Example: the establishment of a material efficiency service centre that was proposal number one in the SCP programme 1. Scripted use

Programme and the related process are used to enhance deliberation that in turn supports the scripted uses. Example: using the SCP committee as a forum for learning, creating commitment and a shared discourse 2. Deliberative use

Attempts to use the programme and the process to promote one’s own political agenda. Example: inserting references of the SCP programme in the committee memorandums of the Environment Committee of the Finnish Parliament to promote one’s own political goals. 3. Political use

Signifies that a policy programme and/or process are/is used as a symbol. Instead of something more substantial Also the renewal of important rituals and symbols in a society. Example: claims that making policy programmes has become a way to postpone difficult decisions. 4. Ritual use

Unanticipated uses or side-effects that a programme process has catalysed but that are not directly linked to the process and have not been proposed in the programme. Example: work on environmentally friendly and ethical consumption in the Finnish Consumers’ Association 5. Unprompted use

Actors outside the government anticipated the programme to exist for its scripted uses Several key actors within government emphasized the deliberative and ritual uses. Some of the most successful uses of the programme have been deliberative ones May lead to interesting and potentially influential unprompted uses of a programme. Results of the analysis 1/2

As regards the political uses, those uses that have not depended on programme implementation have been more successful Ritual use: success in cultivating particular, positively perceived features of the Finnish society Results of the analysis 2/2

1)Institutional ambiguity opens up a great variety of use possibilities: transparency would be required particularly as regards the intended uses of the leaders 2)Rethinking suitable forms for programme work in each particular case: What works where, when and how for sustainable development? 3)Use-perspective provides a fruitful basis for evaluating broad programmes such as those related to sustainability Conclusions

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