An Institutional Analysis and Reconfiguration Framework for Sustainability Research on Post-Transition Forestry—A Focus on Ukraine

Abstract

In this paper, we elaborate an Institutional Analysis and Reconfiguration Framework centered around the ‘action arena’ theoretical approach. We develop this framework to analyze institutional reconfiguration to enhance sustainability, and operationalize it using research methods which focus on documentation of the institutional contexts through an extensive literature review and interviews of experts in forest policy. We apply the Institutional Analysis and Reconfiguration Framework to examine forestry institutions, address forest governance, and investigate their effect on socio-economic and environmental performances in forestry of Ukraine. The paper draws on the state of affairs in post-transition forestry, its difficulties, and new prospects for economic and institutional reforms. We examine challenges and opportunities in forestry and suggest key remedies and prospective ways forward. Results show that a combination of path dependency with the rigidity of institutions and a slow pace of economic and political reforms is the major obstacle to implementing decisions regarding sustainable forest policy. A reconfiguration of social practices is required, as well as the development of capabilities and awareness raising amongst relevant stakeholders, to realize the problems, envision alternative futures, challenge existing institutions, shift power relations and create new norms, rules, and decision-making arrangements. The way towards sustainability in forestry largely goes through changing institutions, and a human dimension of institutional changes reflected in the uptake of social innovation.

Transformation of Nature Protection Institutions in the North Caucasus: From a State Monopoly of Governance to Multi-Actor Management

“…The state's influence on the management of PAs ( 1) is limited to formal institutions, while the real management and life activities involve informal relations and rules characteristic of the ethnic community (including links between the local community and PAs)- (6). The state uses the North Caucasus Resorts state corporation to push its interests (2) and subsidizes social development programs (3). Attempts to find mechanisms for relationships between the State Corporation and the local community (4), along with the management of the PAs (5), are met with distrust from the local community fearful of losing the right to access resources.…”

“…At the same time, the state plays an important role, having at its disposal the institutions and resources that make it possible to place the issues of nature protection in the foreground, but in reality, often giving priority to economic development [2]. Due to the changes in societal dynamics and the transformation of institutions, new actors often appear in the field of nature conservation, and as a result, new approaches are required to modify the existing institutional environment without harming environmental activities [3].…”

Embracing policy paradoxes: EU’s Just Transition Fund and the aim “to leave no one behind”

“…2). Governance seeks to manage societal problems and create societal opportunities (Kooiman et al, 2005(Kooiman et al, , 2008Nijnik et al, 2021). Therefore, we consider governance to be crucial for reaching the objectives of sustainable development (Glass & Newig, 2019), while the other concepts to be dependent on it.…”

“…In this paper, we focus on policies and other formal institutions (of the 'rules of the game ', c.f., North 1990;Nijnik et al, 2021), governance arrangements, with measures and instruments set up to make decisions (Jordan et al, 2003), and decision-making structures and processes (Bennett & Satterfield, 2018;Lemos & Agrawal, 2006) put in place. The JTF Regulation promotes social and governance innovation underpinned by a new set of rules, and specifies those having important implications on who is included and who might be left behind (c.f., Gupta et al, 2015) (white box in Fig.…”

Collective forestry regimes to enhance transition to climate smart forestry

“…It is rather assumed that centralized (government) regimes (especially on public land) and land/forest owners' decisions (in private forests) can take care of carbon management. This assumption often results in ineffective management practices that lead to forest depletion (Weiss et al, 2020), which is especially harmful in mountain regions (Nijnik et al, 2021).…”