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Governance for Sustainability: Towards a ‘Thick’ Analysis of Environmental Decisionmaking

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  • W Neil Adger
  • Katrina Brown
  • Jenny Fairbrass
  • Andrew Jordan
  • Jouni Paavola
  • Sergio Rosendo
  • Gill Seyfang

Abstract

Environmental decisions made by individuals, civil society, and the state involve questions of economic efficiency, environmental effectiveness, equity, and political legitimacy. These four criteria are constitutive of the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, which has become the dominant rhetorical device of environmental governance. We discuss the tendency for disciplinary research to focus on particular subsets of the four criteria, and argue that such a practice promotes solutions that do not acknowledge the dynamics of scale and the heterogeneity of institutional contexts. We advocate an interdisciplinary framework for the analysis of environmental decisionmaking that seeks to identify legitimate and context-sensitive institutional solutions producing equitable, efficient, and effective outcomes. We demonstrate the usefulness of our approach by using it to examine decisions concerning contested nature conservation and multiple-use commons in the management of Hickling Broad in Norfolk in the United Kingdom. We conclude that interdisciplinary approaches enable the generalisation and transfer of lessons in a way that respects the specifics and context of the issue at hand.

Suggested Citation

  • W Neil Adger & Katrina Brown & Jenny Fairbrass & Andrew Jordan & Jouni Paavola & Sergio Rosendo & Gill Seyfang, 2003. "Governance for Sustainability: Towards a ‘Thick’ Analysis of Environmental Decisionmaking," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 35(6), pages 1095-1110, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:35:y:2003:i:6:p:1095-1110
    DOI: 10.1068/a35289
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Wells, Geoff & Fisher, Janet A. & Porras, Ina & Staddon, Sam & Ryan, Casey, 2017. "Rethinking Monitoring in Smallholder Carbon Payments for Ecosystem Service Schemes: Devolve Monitoring, Understand Accuracy and Identify Co-benefits," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 115-127.
    3. Gwenole Le Velly & Céline Dutilly Diane & Driss Ezzine de Blas & Chloë Fernandez, 2015. "PES as Compensation ? Redistribution of Payments for Forest Conservation in Mexican Common Forests," Working Papers halshs-01226800, HAL.
    4. Julia Szulecka, 2019. "Towards Sustainable Wood-Based Energy: Evaluation and Strategies for Mainstreaming Sustainability in the Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-21, January.
    5. Marion Riensche & Alicia Castillo & Eduardo García-Frapolli & Patricia Moreno-Casasola & Carlos Tello-Díaz, 2019. "Private over Public Interests in Regional Tourism Governance: A Case Study in Costalegre, Mexico," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-20, March.
    6. Neil M. Dawson & Michael Mason & Janet A. Fisher & David Mujasi Mwayafu & Hari Dhungana & Heike Schroeder & Mark Zeitoun, 2018. "Norm Entrepreneurs Sidestep REDD+ in Pursuit of Just and Sustainable Forest Governance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-19, May.
    7. Hammami, Samiha Mjahed & chtourou, Sahar & Triki, Abdelfattah, 2016. "Identifying the determinants of community acceptance of renewable energy technologies: The case study of a wind energy project from Tunisia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 151-160.
    8. Roos M. Den Uyl & Martin J. Wassen, 2013. "A Comparative Study of Strategies for Sustainable Development of Multifunctional Fen Landscapes: Signposts to Explore New Avenues," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(6), pages 801-837, June.
    9. Aliette K. Frank, 2017. "What is the story with sustainability? A narrative analysis of diverse and contested understandings," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 7(2), pages 310-323, June.
    10. Nicholas A Cradock-Henry & Joanna Fountain & Franca Buelow, 2018. "Transformations for Resilient Rural Futures: The Case of Kaikōura, Aotearoa-New Zealand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-19, June.
    11. Reis, J. & Stojanovic, T. & Smith, H., 2014. "Relevance of systems approaches for implementing Integrated Coastal Zone Management principles in Europe," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 3-12.
    12. Wiek, Arnim & Walter, Alexander I., 2009. "A transdisciplinary approach for formalized integrated planning and decision-making in complex systems," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 197(1), pages 360-370, August.

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