Governance for sustainable development

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Governance for sustainable development
Presentation 8 Environment and Sustainable
Development course UNU-MERIT PhD programme

• René Kemp

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Different meanings of governance

• Governance as the complex ways in which order and
  orientation are maintained in socio-political
  systems (Meadowcroft et al., 2005)
• a more cooperative mode where state and
  no-state actors participate in mixed
  public/private networks (Mayntz, 1998)
• Governance as the structured ways and means in
  which the divergent preferences of
  inter-dependent actors are translated into policy
  choices to allocate values, so that the plurality
  of interests is transformed into co-ordinated
  action and the compliance of actors is achieved
  (Eising and Kohler-Koch 2000).

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• Governance structures organize negotiation
  processes, determine objectives, influence
  motivations, set standards, perform allocative
  functions, monitor compliance, impose penalties,
  initiate and/or reduce conflict, and resolve
  disputes among actors (Eden and Hampson 1997
  362)
• In political science and public administration
  the concept of governance has been suggested to
  broaden the narrow focused perspective on policy
  processes as hierarchically structured
  goal-oriented processes by explicitly bringing in
  the societal context in which these processes
  occur

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Key requirements of governance for sustainable
development

• Developing political frameworks for
  future-visioning, goal-setting, policy design and
  implementation and adjustment
• Integrating the economic, social and
  environmental dimensions of decision-making
  across society
• Structuring engagement as a learning process
• Evolving complex systems of multilevel governance
  (with cross connections among institutions at
  local, regional, national, international and
  global scales), where decision-makers remain
  responsible to citizens, communities and
  stakeholders

Meadowcroft et al (2005)
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Good governance a model for SD?

Source UN Economic and Social Commission for
Asia and the Pacific
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According to the OECD GoSD means

• Integration of economic, social and environmental
  objectives, and balance across sectors,
  territories and generations
• Broad participation and effective partnership
• Country ownership and committment
• Developing capacity and enabling environment
• Focus on outcomes and means of implementation

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Focussing governance for SD
Source European Commission (2001)
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Is this a good approach?

• Yes, indicators are needed for management they
  add substance and allow for measurement and
  evaluation
• But it should not be applied rigorously in a
  top-down manner
• For example the building of dams for
  hydoelectricity and nuclear reactors would be
  sustainable under the above definition
• There is the critical issue of dealing with
  tradeoffs

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In my view what is needed is an approach oriented
towards system-innovation

• The adoption of available sustainable options
  at each moment in time (bioethanol or wind power)
  does not get us very far
• Corporate sustainability efforts strike only at
  the margin they help to pick low-hanging fruit
  (pale greening)
• We need sociotechnical systems that are
  inherently sustainable in which we dont have
  to think about sustainability when we make our
  choices (frame conditions are not enough)

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The Dutch transition approach

• Led by the Ministry of Economic Affairs
  (responsible for business, energy and innovation)
• Goal to achieve a transition to a low-carbon
  economy
• In a bottom-up, top-down manner, moving from
  programmes experiments to alternative systems
  of energy, agriculture and mobility

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Top-down elements

• 26 transition paths
• 6 platforms for energy transition
• Government support for experiments (35 million
  euro)
• Policy renewal

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Selected transition paths
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Bottom-up elements

• Business alliances
• Experiments
• Identification of barriers / opportunities
  informing private action and policy

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How serious is all this?

• Platform for green resources (one of official 6
  platforms) ? 4 transition paths
• 60 million euro for biofuels
• In 2007 2 blending requirement for gasoline and
  diesel
• Certification system

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Why is NL interested in biomass?

• Because NL is a gas country (biomass can be
  turned into a gas)
• Because agriculture business and the logistic
  sector (Rotterdam harbour) are interested in it
• Because the chemical industry thinks it may
  obtain an competitive edge from
  knowledge-intensive, green materials
• Because ECN is a world leader in biomass
  gassification

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The philosophy behind TM Perspektivischer
Inkrementalismus or directed evolution

• The use of multiple visions (because visions
  create better world together rather than apart)
• The use of experimental learning
• Adaptive portfolios each option has to prove its
  worth
• Policy as a facilitator of change (with
  government as partner of business)

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Transition Management bifocal instead of
myopic
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Circular elements
                       
   
 

• Portfolio of official transition paths
• Transition experiments
• Instrument choices
• Policy coordination

Source Loorbach (2004)
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The use of science and knowledge

• Science, technology and innovation more oriented
  towards transition goals
• Visioning
• Sustainability assessment
• Discussions about transition management

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What is transition management really?

• 21st century corporatism
• A reflexive form of steering (reflexive goverance)

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Organisational background of Taskforce Energy
transition and Platform members
Compiled by Roel van Raak
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Members of platform green resources

• Paul Hamm (formerly at DSM, chair)
• Dhr. G.G. Bemer (Koninklijke Nedalco) 
• Dhr. A. van den Biggelaar (Stichting Natuur en
  Milieu)
• Mevr.dr.ir. M.J.P. Botman (Ministerie van
  Economische Zaken)
• Prof.dr. A. Bruggink (NWO-ACTS / Universiteit
  Nijmegen / DSM)
• Ir. K.W. Kwant (SenterNovem)
• Dhr. P. Lednor (Shell Global Solutions)
• Dr. Peter M. Bruinenberg (AVEBE)
• Prof.dr. E.M. Meijer (Unilever)
• Prof.dr. J.P.M. Sanders (Agrotechnology Food
  Innovations)
• Prof.dr. W.P.M. van Swaaij (Universiteit Twente)
• Prof.dr. H. Veringa (ECN)
• Dr. J. Vanhemelrijck (EuropaBio)
• Prof.dr.ir. L.A.M. van der Wielen (Technische
  Universiteit Delft)  

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Whatever it is -- it is getting attention
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Transition activities

• Over a 100 researchers are working on transition
  issues in the research network KSI
• There is a competence center for transitions
  (CCT) and two newly created knowledge centers
  (Drift and KCT)
• Various ministries, Senternovem (intermediary
  organization), provinces, regions and
  municipalities are involved in implementing
  transition management secretary-generals meet to
  discuss issues of policy alignment
• Many companies are involved and some NGOs (in
  particular SNM).
• Examples of organizations active in developing
  and implementing their own approach towards
  transition management are provincial
  environmental organizations of Flevoland,
  Zuid-Holland, Zeeland and Gelderland, and the
  Foundation for Nature and the Environment

Source Loorbach 2006
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Why we need transition management

1. Because of the barriers to system innovation --
   which have to with uncertainty, the need for
   change at various levels and vested interests
2. Because public policy is highly fragmented and
   oriented towards short term goals
3. Because of the need for societal support for
   transition policies and for legitimising policies
   towards structural change
4. Because a gradual approach of small steps is
   economically not disruptive and politically and
   socially do-able

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Question to you

• Is TM only appropriate for countries with
  well-developed systems of environmental
  protection STI and high levels of affluence?
• Or also a useful approach for developing
  countries?