Lisa Westerhoff

Capacities across scales: local to national adaptation policy in four European countries

A framework of adaptive capacity and prerequisites for planned adaptation are used to identify the resources and conditions that have enabled or constrained the development of planned adaptation at national to local levels in Italy, Sweden, Finland and the UK. Drawing on 94 semi-structured interviews with climate change actors at each scale, the study demonstrates that planned adaptation measures occur as a result of several inter-relating factors, including the existence of political will, public support (and relevant media portrayal of climate change), adequate financial resources, the ability to produce or access climate and other information, and the extent of stakeholder involvement in the design and application of adaptation measures. Specific national adaptation measures affect local capacities to implement planned adaptations, but in some cases have been complemented or substituted by internal and external networks that connect local authorities to information and resources. The study demonstrates that opportunities to engage in planned adaptation at local levels may occur given adequate interest and resources; however, both national authorities and non-governmental organizations continue to play an important role in fostering local capacities.

Understanding the framings of climate change adaptation across multiple scales of governance in Europe

Climate change adaptation strategies are emerging across Europe as societies attempt to adapt to the challenges of a changing environment. Social constructivist analyses of environmental policy – especially those emphasising ‘framing’ – can be very useful in teasing out the framings of policy problems such as adaptation. They can also shed light on the underlying assumptions that steer and guide public and environmental policy. Using the theoretical concept of framing to analyse adaptation policies across different scales of governance in four European countries – Sweden, Finland, the United Kingdom and Italy – and drawing on policy documents from those countries, as well as semi-structured interviews with practitioners, the development of adaptation policy processes and especially how adaptation has been defined within these processes are examined. Four major framings of adaptation are identified: ‘planning’, ‘economic risk’, ‘vulnerability’ and ‘existing measures’. These frames affect how adaptation is conceptualised, policy problems defined and, ultimately how policy develops.

Climate change as governmentality : Technologies of government for adaptation in three European countries

Using the Foucauldian theoretical framework of governmentality, this paper examines the role of regulative ‘technologies of government’ in climate change adaptation. The paper examines such technologies and underlying rationalities in a multi-level context, in three European countries that represent different stages of adaptation policy development: the UK, Finland and Sweden. Drawing upon policy documents and interviews at different levels, the paper illustrates differences in technologies of government for adaptation between the relatively ‘regulative’ UK state system and Finland and Swedens traditional legalistic and welfarist systems. The study illustrates that, while the treatment of adaptation as an issue on a national level coheres with national rationalities, local and regional levels show a diversity in the development of bottom-up adaptation technologies.

Science‐policy linkages in climate change adaptation in Europe

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to emphasise the importance of resolving the disconnect between issues of quality, timing and uncertainty in climate projections and the need for swift, informed and appropriate climate change adaptation decisions.Design/methodology/approach – The paper utilises results from a multi‐level study of adaptation policy conducted in early 2009 to assess the different approaches to climate change, the production of climate information, and its application at national and select sub‐national levels in Italy and Finland. Data were collected via a preliminary review of relevant documents as well as 23 interviews in Italy and 21 interviews in Finland conducted with climate change and environmental policy actors at each scale of administration.Findings – The paper shows while the different extent and processes of climate research and their linkages to policy can be seen as determinants of the development of adaptation measures, the multi‐scalar adaptation decision‐making proces...

Planned Adaptation Measures in Industrialised Countries: A Comparison of Select Countries Within and Outside the EU

This chapter provides a context for the discussion on the emergence of adaptation measures in the four case studies presented in this volume through a brief discussion of the ways in which planned adaptations are being developed in eight European countries. Adaptation actions at different levels in Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway and Spain are described in order to provide an illustration of adaptation measures in a range of countries representing differing structural contexts, modes of decentralisation and histories of engagement in environmental policy. An additional section on planned adaptation as it has manifested in Canada and Australia is also presented to provide further ground for comparison with countries outside the European context. Results show a tenuous link between the extent to which countries have engaged in adaptation and their environmental policy implementation record, though some interesting links between environmental policy institutions and adaptation can be made. The extent to which unitary and federal nations have decentralised responsibility to sub-national tiers is shown to have an impact on the way in which regions and local authorities have engaged in adaptation. The role of both NGOs and the European Union is shown to be of significance to regional and local governments, as well as those countries who have not yet extensively engaged in adaptation at the national scale.

Local Energy Systems: Evaluating Network Effectiveness for Transformation in British Columbia, Canada

Local governments across the Canadian province of British Columbia have begun to implement measures to achieve energy and greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Among these, a handful of communities have emerged as leaders, supported by a network of organisations across sectors and scales. This study uses a social network analysis approach to explore the nature and extent of this network, coupled with qualitative interview data to determine its effectiveness. The study reveals that while the network is providing important resources and information, leading governments require specific forms of support to push innovative policies and actions further. In addition, though a shared vision of integrated local energy systems is emerging across the province, the lack of a systemic integration of goals across scales has created significant legislative barriers at the local scale.

'Planning for Today' : The Nature and Emergence of Adaptation Measures in Italy

This chapter examines the Italian approach to climate change adaptation at the national scale, where the design of a formal adaptation strategy has yet to emerge out of preliminary stages. Adaptation discourses at the national level were initiated in 2007 at the time of the National Climate Change Conference, after which efforts to pull together a national adaptation strategy were considerably slowed by low prioritisation of climate change adaptation, changes in national administration and poor coordination. The ways in which adaptation is beginning to emerge at the regional and local scales is assessed in the Emilia-Romagna region and its province and municipality of Ferrara. Policy reviews and interviews with decision makers in the case study areas indicate that despite such slow progress, both national and regional actors have furthered adaptation discourses and activities at different scales. Issues that have typically hindered environmental policy development are partially overcome as strong political leadership, stakeholder involvement and strengthening vertical and horizontal networks are coupled within governments with long-standing interest in environmental issues and positive science-policy linkages. At all scales, adaptation has occurred in response to current risks and vulnerabilities with little consideration of and future projections and long-term planning.