Institutional barriers to climate change adaptation in decentralised governance structures: Transport planning in England

Benjamin JA Walker, W Neil Adger and Duncan Russel
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Benjamin JA Walker: Politics, College of Social Sciences and International Studies, The University of Exeter, UK
W Neil Adger: Geography, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Exeter, UK
Duncan Russel: Politics, College of Social Sciences and International Studies, The University of Exeter, UK

Urban Studies, 2015, vol. 52, issue 12, 2250-2266

Abstract: Climate change poses governance challenges at diverse scales and across the dimensions of risk and responsibility. Local governments are central to the delivery of action on both decarbonisation and adapting to the risks of climate change. Yet there are likely to be significant differences across local governments in terms of their capacity to act on climate change. This research documents and explains differences in the capacity to act within response spaces to risks to transport infrastructure and systems. We examine 80 Transport Plans across local governments in England, specifically their efforts to incorporate climate change adaptation. Data are generated from content analysis of the 80 documents and key informant interviews in a sample of 15% of authorities. The results show significant disparities across authorities. We explain differential outcomes as dependent on internal coordination, local prioritisation processes and political opposition. The results highlight that there are significant governance barriers associated with differential response capacity in the face of climate change risks.

Keywords: adaptation; climate policy integration; local transport plans; response capacity; response space (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:52:y:2015:i:12:p:2250-2266

DOI: 10.1177/0042098014544759

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