Local authorities and the engagement of private actors in climate change adaptation

Abstract

The local level and private actors play an important role in the implementation of climate change adaptation. The engagement of the private sector and citizens has received increasing attention in recent years. Local authorities' choice of policy instruments, the distribution of responsibilities, and the benefits of adaptation as a public or a private good have a bearing on the involvement of private actors. Based on interviews and documents from Copenhagen and Helsinki, we analyse how public authorities' choices, to whom and how they shift responsibilities, can foster transformational, participatory or market-oriented elements of adaptation. The results indicate that local authorities play a dominant role in providing adaptation. Public authorities steer where the private sector and citizens are expected to take responsibilities. This mix of top-down steering, market mechanisms and citizen involvement might reduce the advantages that a shift of responsibilities towards private actors could provide for the handling of climate change adaptation.

From citizen participation to government participation: An exploration of the roles of local governments in community initiatives for climate change adaptation in the Netherlands

“…This increased "responsibilisation" of citizens -transferring the burden of risk and responsibility to citizens- (Klein, Juhola, & Landauer, 2017;O'Hare, White, & Connelly, 2015;Roth & Prior, 2014;Wamsler, 2016) has implications for the roles of governments. This increased "responsibilisation" of citizens -transferring the burden of risk and responsibility to citizens- (Klein, Juhola, & Landauer, 2017;O'Hare, White, & Connelly, 2015;Roth & Prior, 2014;Wamsler, 2016) has implications for the roles of governments.…”

“…Citizens can contribute by taking adaptation measures in and around the house Tompkins & Eakin, 2012). Nevertheless, empirical manifestations of this shift of responsibilities to citizens and other nonstate actors are still limited in adaptation (e.g., Klein et al, 2017;Klein et al, 2018;Mees, 2017;Mees et al, 2016). Consequently, conceptual understandings of what "facilitating" and "enabling" roles for governments might entail in the adaptation domain are in an embryonic stage.…”

“…Citizen coproduction presumes a shift of responsibilities for public goods and services away from or in addition to governments and businesses, towards citizens. This increased "responsibilisation" of citizens -transferring the burden of risk and responsibility to citizens- (Klein, Juhola, & Landauer, 2017;O'Hare, White, & Connelly, 2015;Roth & Prior, 2014;Wamsler, 2016) has implications for the roles of governments. These government roles do not necessarily diminish or become obsolete, but they shift from a regulating and steering towards a more collaborative, responsive government (Aylett, 2013;Bekkers et al, 2014;Denhardt & Denhardt, 2000;Gilbert, 2005) that enables and facilitates community initiatives in which nonstate actors play prominent roles.…”

The Influence of Administrative Traditions and Governance on Private Involvement in Urban Climate Change Adaptation

“…This service relies on market mechanisms and puts citizens and private companies in the role of customers that can purchase this service. However, the ability to purchase this service depends on the availability of the cooling network and the financial resources of private actors (Klein et al, ).…”

“…So far, the public sector and municipal administration have been considered the main actors in urban adaptation in Europe, more specifically in Northern Europe, while a strong involvement of private actors in urban adaptation as such is relatively new but slowly emerging (Bedsted & Gram, ; City of Copenhagen, ; European Environment Agency, ; ICLEI, ; Juhola, ; Klein, Landauer, & Juhola, ; Lonkila, ; Wamsler & Brink, ). For example, much of the decision‐making responsibility was shifted from the public sector to a private developer in the development of the Stadshaven in Rotterdam (Root, van der Krabben, & Spit, ), or citizens' involvement has been emphasized in the redevelopment of the Skt.…”