IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/masfgc/v22y2017i5d10.1007_s11027-015-9699-z.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Diagnosing institutional barriers and opportunities for adaptation to climate change

Author

Listed:
  • Christoph Oberlack

    (Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg
    University of Bern)

Abstract

Institutions are one of the decisive factors which enable, constrain and shape adaptation to the impacts of climate change, variability and extreme events. However, current understanding of institutions in adaptation situations is fragmented across the scientific community, evidence diverges, and cumulative learning beyond single studies is limited. This study adopts a diagnostic approach to elaborate a nuanced understanding of institutional barriers and opportunities in climate adaptation by means of a model-centred meta-analysis of 52 case studies of public climate adaptation in Europe. The first result is a novel taxonomy of institutional attributes in adaptation situations. It conceptually organises and decomposes the many details of institutions that empirical research has shown to shape climate adaptation. In the second step, the paper identifies archetypical patterns of institutional traps and trade-offs which hamper adaptation. Thirdly, corresponding opportunities are identified that enable actors to alleviate, prevent or overcome specific institutional traps or trade-offs. These results cast doubt on the validity of general institutional design principles for successful adaptation. In contrast to generic principles, the identified opportunities provide leverage to match institutions to specific governance problems that are encountered in specific contexts. Taken together, the results may contribute to more coherence and integration of adaptation research that we need if we are to foster learning about the role of institutions in adaptation situations in a cumulative fashion.

Suggested Citation

  • Christoph Oberlack, 2017. "Diagnosing institutional barriers and opportunities for adaptation to climate change," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 22(5), pages 805-838, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:masfgc:v:22:y:2017:i:5:d:10.1007_s11027-015-9699-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s11027-015-9699-z
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11027-015-9699-z
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11027-015-9699-z?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Peter Rudberg & Oskar Wallgren & Åsa Swartling, 2012. "Beyond generic adaptive capacity: exploring the adaptation space of the water supply and wastewater sector of the Stockholm region, Sweden," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 114(3), pages 707-721, October.
    2. Elinor Ostrom, 2010. "Beyond Markets and States: Polycentric Governance of Complex Economic Systems," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 100(3), pages 641-672, June.
    3. Jan Corfee-Morlot & Ian Cochran & Stéphane Hallegatte & Pierre-Jonathan Teasdale, 2011. "Multilevel risk governance and urban adaptation policy," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 104(1), pages 169-197, January.
    4. Lisa Westerhoff & E. Carina H. Keskitalo & Sirkku Juhola, 2011. "Capacities across scales: local to national adaptation policy in four European countries," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(4), pages 1071-1085, July.
    5. Gary D. Libecap, 2011. "Institutional Path Dependence in Climate Adaptation: Coman's "Some Unsettled Problems of Irrigation"," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(1), pages 64-80, February.
    6. Valentina Krysanova & Chris Dickens & Jos Timmerman & Consuelo Varela-Ortega & Maja Schlüter & Koen Roest & Patrick Huntjens & Fons Jaspers & Hendrik Buiteveld & Edinson Moreno & Javier Pedraza Carrer, 2010. "Cross-Comparison of Climate Change Adaptation Strategies Across Large River Basins in Europe, Africa and Asia," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 24(14), pages 4121-4160, November.
    7. Paavola, Jouni, 2007. "Institutions and environmental governance: A reconceptualization," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(1), pages 93-103, June.
    8. Zbigniew Kundzewicz & Nicola Lugeri & Rutger Dankers & Yukiko Hirabayashi & Petra Döll & Iwona Pińskwar & Tomasz Dysarz & Stefan Hochrainer & Piotr Matczak, 2010. "Assessing river flood risk and adaptation in Europe—review of projections for the future," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 15(7), pages 641-656, October.
    9. Daniel Osberghaus & Astrid Dannenberg & Tim Mennel & Bodo Sturm, 2010. "The Role of the Government in Adaptation to Climate Change," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 28(5), pages 834-850, October.
    10. Konrad Hagedorn, 2008. "Particular requirements for institutional analysis in nature-related sectors," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 35(4), pages 606-606, December.
    11. Paul Lehmann & Miriam Brenck & Oliver Gebhardt & Sven Schaller & Elisabeth Süßbauer, 2015. "Barriers and opportunities for urban adaptation planning: analytical framework and evidence from cities in Latin America and Germany," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 75-97, January.
    12. Oberlack, Christoph & Neumärker, Bernhard, 2013. "A diagnostic approach to the institutional analysis of climate adaptation," The Constitutional Economics Network Working Papers 01-2013, University of Freiburg, Department of Economic Policy and Constitutional Economic Theory.
    13. Richard S. J. Tol & Nicolien Van Der Grijp & Alexander A. Olsthoorn & Peter E. Van Der Werff, 2003. "Adapting to Climate: A Case Study on Riverine Flood Risks in the Netherlands," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(3), pages 575-583, June.
    14. Klaus Eisenack & Susanne C. Moser & Esther Hoffmann & Richard J. T. Klein & Christoph Oberlack & Anna Pechan & Maja Rotter & Catrien J. A. M. Termeer, 2014. "Explaining and overcoming barriers to climate change adaptation," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 4(10), pages 867-872, October.
    15. Helene Amundsen & Frode Berglund & Hege Westskog, 2010. "Overcoming Barriers to Climate Change Adaptation—A Question of Multilevel Governance?," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 28(2), pages 276-289, April.
    16. Arild Vatn, 2005. "Institutions and the Environment," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 2826.
    17. Frans Klijn & Bruno Merz & Edmund Penning-Rowsell & Zbigniew Kundzewicz, 2015. "Preface: climate change proof flood risk management," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 20(6), pages 837-843, August.
    18. Falaleeva, Maria & O'Mahony, Cathal & Gray, Stefan & Desmond, Margaret & Gault, Jeremy & Cummins, Valerie, 2011. "Towards climate adaptation and coastal governance in Ireland: Integrated architecture for effective management?," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(6), pages 784-793, December.
    19. Francesc Cots & J David TÃ bara & Darryn McEvoy & Saskia Werners & Elisabet Roca, 2009. "Cross-Border Organisations as an Adaptive Water Management Response to Climate Change: The Case of the Guadiana River Basin," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 27(5), pages 876-893, October.
    20. Klaus Eisenack & Rebecca Stecker, 2012. "A framework for analyzing climate change adaptations as actions," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 243-260, March.
    21. Mark Pelling & Chris High & John Dearing & Denis Smith, 2008. "Shadow Spaces for Social Learning: A Relational Understanding of Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change within Organisations," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 40(4), pages 867-884, April.
    22. Oran Young, 2013. "Sugaring off: enduring insights from long-term research on environmental governance," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 87-105, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. van Bers, Caroline & Delaney, Aogán & Eakin, Hallie & Cramer, Laura & Purdon, Mark & Oberlack, Christoph & Evans, Tom & Pahl-Wostl, Claudia & Eriksen, Siri & Jones, Lindsey & Korhonen-Kurki, Kaisa & V, 2019. "Advancing the research agenda on food systems governance and transformation," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 102560, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Kevin Grecksch & Carola Klöck, 0. "Access and allocation in climate change adaptation," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-16.
    3. Kevin Grecksch & Carola Klöck, 2020. "Access and allocation in climate change adaptation," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 271-286, June.
    4. Anthony Charles Milordis & William Hale Butler & Tisha Joseph Holmes, 2023. "What is slowing progress on climate change adaptation? Evaluating barriers to planning for sea level rise in Florida," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 28(8), pages 1-26, December.
    5. Melania Michetti & Stefano Ghinoi, 2020. "Climate-driven vulnerability and risk perception: implications for climate change adaptation in rural Mexico," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 10(3), pages 290-302, September.
    6. Guillaume Simonet & Alexia Leseur, 2019. "Barriers and drivers to adaptation to climate change—a field study of ten French local authorities," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 155(4), pages 621-637, August.
    7. Sandra Fatorić & Robbert Biesbroek, 2020. "Adapting cultural heritage to climate change impacts in the Netherlands: barriers, interdependencies, and strategies for overcoming them," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 162(2), pages 301-320, September.
    8. Nate Kauffman & Kristina Hill, 2021. "Climate Change, Adaptation Planning and Institutional Integration: A Literature Review and Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-28, September.
    9. J. P. Palutikof & Anne M. Leitch & D. Rissik & S. L. Boulter & M. J. Campbell & A. C. Perez Vidaurre & S. Webb & Fahim N. Tonmoy, 2019. "Overcoming knowledge barriers to adaptation using a decision support framework," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 153(4), pages 607-624, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Gawel, Erik & Lehmann, Paul & Strunz, Sebastian & Heuson, Clemens, 2018. "Public Choice barriers to efficient climate adaptation – theoretical insights and lessons learned from German flood disasters," Journal of Institutional Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 14(3), pages 473-499, June.
    2. Oberlack, Christoph, 2014. "Institutional diagnostics of climate adaptation," The Constitutional Economics Network Working Papers 01-2014, University of Freiburg, Department of Economic Policy and Constitutional Economic Theory.
    3. Paul Lehmann & Miriam Brenck & Oliver Gebhardt & Sven Schaller & Elisabeth Süßbauer, 2015. "Barriers and opportunities for urban adaptation planning: analytical framework and evidence from cities in Latin America and Germany," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 75-97, January.
    4. Oberlack, Christoph & Neumärker, Bernhard, 2013. "A diagnostic approach to the institutional analysis of climate adaptation," The Constitutional Economics Network Working Papers 01-2013, University of Freiburg, Department of Economic Policy and Constitutional Economic Theory.
    5. Cavalcante, Ana Helena A. P., 2015. "Barriers and opportunities for climate adaptation: The water crisis in Greater São Paulo," The Constitutional Economics Network Working Papers 04-2015, University of Freiburg, Department of Economic Policy and Constitutional Economic Theory.
    6. Gawel, Erik & Heuson, Clemens & Lehmann, Paul, 2012. "Efficient public adaptation to climate change: An investigation of drivers and barriers from a Public Choice perspective," UFZ Discussion Papers 14/2012, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    7. Lehmann, Paul & Brenck, Miriam & Gebhardt, Oliver & Schaller, Sven & Süßbauer, Elisabeth, 2012. "Understanding barriers and opportunities for adaptation planning in cities," UFZ Discussion Papers 19/2012, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    8. Nate Kauffman & Kristina Hill, 2021. "Climate Change, Adaptation Planning and Institutional Integration: A Literature Review and Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-28, September.
    9. Bisaro, Alexander & Roggero, Matteo & Villamayor-Tomas, Sergio, 2018. "Institutional Analysis in Climate Change Adaptation Research: A Systematic Literature Review," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 34-43.
    10. Rongyu Wang & Rong Tan, 2018. "Rural Renewal of China in the Context of Rural-Urban Integration: Governance Fit and Performance Differences," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-22, February.
    11. Taedong Lee & Sara Hughes, 2017. "Perceptions of urban climate hazards and their effects on adaptation agendas," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 22(5), pages 761-776, June.
    12. Oberlack, Christoph & Neumärker, Bernhard, 2011. "Economics, institutions and adaptation to climate change," The Constitutional Economics Network Working Papers 04-2011, University of Freiburg, Department of Economic Policy and Constitutional Economic Theory.
    13. Maja Rotter & Esther Hoffmann & Anna Pechan & Rebecca Stecker, 2016. "Competing priorities: how actors and institutions influence adaptation of the German railway system," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 137(3), pages 609-623, August.
    14. Boehnke, Denise & Jehling, Mathias & Vogt, Joachim, 2023. "What hinders climate adaptation? Approaching barriers in municipal land use planning through participant observation," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    15. Daedlow, Katrin & Beckmann, Volker & Schlüter, Maja & Arlinghaus, Robert, 2013. "Explaining institutional persistence, adaptation, and transformation in East German recreational-fisheries governance after the German reunification in 1990," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 36-50.
    16. Dimitrios Zikos, 2020. "Revisiting the Role of Institutions in Transformative Contexts: Institutional Change and Conflicts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-20, October.
    17. Yakovleva, Natalia & Vazquez-Brust, Diego Alfonso, 2018. "Multinational mining enterprises and artisanal small-scale miners: From confrontation to cooperation," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 53(1), pages 52-62.
    18. Lenka Slavikova, 2013. "From Cost-Benefit to Institutional Analysis in The Economics of the Environment," Contemporary Economics, University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw., vol. 7(2), June.
    19. Hudson, Paul & Botzen, W.J. Wouter & Feyen, Luc & Aerts, Jeroen C.J.H., 2016. "Incentivising flood risk adaptation through risk based insurance premiums: Trade-offs between affordability and risk reduction," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 1-13.
    20. James Ford & Diana King, 2015. "A framework for examining adaptation readiness," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 505-526, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:masfgc:v:22:y:2017:i:5:d:10.1007_s11027-015-9699-z. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.