Conference Agenda

The Nordic approach to security and preparedness emphasises decentralisation and cross-sectoral cooperation. In Finland, the approach is known as comprehensive security: briefly, society’s vital functions are secured through collaboration between the authorities, organizations, and citizens. Comprehensive security has been operationalised, for example, through regional preparedness and security networks that bring together municipal actors, rescue services, security and defence authorities, social and health services, NGOs, and companies. The network itself has no leading partner nor formal decision-making power, and its operation is based on mutual agreement and the responsibilities of each participant organisation.

In this qualitative study, we interview 15 members from six regional preparedness networks from eastern and central Finland. We focus on how they prepare for storm-related power outages, which are a relevant hazard scenario in all regions of the country. Our objective is to study how these polycentric networks operate in practice, and how and if cross-sectoral regional cooperation has altered regional preparedness for and responses to storm-related disruptions.

In particular, we focus on whether the attributes of adaptive governance are visible in these networks. Adaptive governance (AG), a concept most commonly used in environmental and resource governance related fields, represents a shift from a traditional predict-and-control governance system to a more polycentric, flexible approach, which takes complexity and uncertainty into account. Frequently named attributes of AG are multi-actor networks, multilevel and multiscale governance, mutual learning, collaboration, and reflexivity.

Although AG has been amply discussed in literature, practical examples of its implementation have been scarce. Therefore, we ask: could regional preparedness networks be considered a tangible method to implement adaptive governance, in addition to comprehensive security? For instance, AG emphasises the inclusion of a diverse set of stakeholders: hence, we examine how the regional preparedness networks are formed, and which actors and organisations are included. Furthermore, we study how polycentric collaboration works in practice, when many member organisations have formal mandates and responsibilities. We also explore how the networks are linked to other levels of governance, and whether scale mismatches hinder their functioning – are there discrepancies between local hazard impacts, municipal responsibilities, regional networks, and state-level policies? Moreover, we investigate whether there are examples of these networks supporting peer learning or reassessing current practices. Finally, we discuss whether such networks could have potential to govern sustainable transformations.

Sustainable governance of water resources essentially involves institutions that enable deliberation and participation for managing the interdependencies generated by conflicting goals and strategies. Supporting institutional environment are required not only for managing the interdependencies, but also to adapt to changing climate and its impacts. In Malawi, the interdependencies are more pronounced due to high dependence on biomass energy, which limits the water available for food production as well as drinking and domestic use. This is further aggravated by the increasing spatial and temporal variability in rainfall and water availability. The objective of the paper is to identify the factors affecting the ability of a water resources governance system to manage the interdependencies among the strategies for achieving the goals of water, energy and food (WEF) securities under the conditions of changing climate.

Using the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework and the concept of Network of Action Situations, we analyse the conflicts and coordination among actors at different levels in designing and implementing strategies to achieve the WEF securities in Malawi, focusing on the case of Domasi River Basin. Qualitative data from 54 interviews with key informants and 4 focus group discussions with water users were analysed to identify key challenges to coordination within and across levels and sectors.

Gaps in implementing key legislations on governance of water and biomass resources along with the predominant dependence on biomass for energy and livelihood, are leading to unsustainable charcoal production driving deforestation in the catchment areas. This is further leading to siltation and reduction in the availability of water for drinking and food production. Lack of representation of key sectors and agencies at the basin and district levels is affecting coordination and conflict resolution. Furthermore, political economic factors are leading to prioritisation of populist short-term policies for agricultural development, crowding out of private investments and irrational allocation of limited state capacity. Efforts to foster collaborative governance for resolving the WEF conflicts and achieving synergies need to focus beyond the national level by strengthening capacities of actors at lower levels for effective and coherent implementation of different sectoral strategies.

Coastal social-ecological systems are typically subject to a wide range of anthropogenic pressures, as these systems combine high human population densities with high biological productivity at the land-sea interface. Competing resource claims by multiple stakeholders create tensions, which are not easily resolved due to the inertia of coastal policy systems. Self-reinforcing mechanisms make policy systems rigid and resistant to change – these systems become ‘locked-in’. While the concept of lock-in has been widely used in climate mitigation research to explain barriers to decarbonisation, climate adaptation lock-ins have only recently gained attention. While adaptation is becoming increasingly important, progress is less than desired. Just as in decarbonization, lock-ins may provide an explanatory mechanism. In this explorative study, we use a ‘lock-in’ perspective to analyze adaptation in coastal governance systems, particularly in case study locations where we have conducted empirical research. These include coastal systems in the Global South (Kenya, Pakistan) and in the Global North (the Netherlands, Belgium). In our explorative analysis we focus on the mechanisms by which lock-ins influence the multi-dimensional vulnerabilities of local communities. In order to examine possibilities to navigate polycentric coastal governance systems, we propose to apply [citation removed to annonymize abstract]'s (2021) framework, , by focusing on knowledge, relationships, strategies and decisions and their implementation. By applying a lock-in lens to complex, strained polycentric governance systems and by highlighting the vulnerability and the agency of local communities, we aim to propose an interdisciplinary research approach in order to compare and learn from coastal systems, thereby allowing communities to develop fair and effective adaptation strategies .