The role of boundary organizations in climate change adaptation from the perspective of municipal practitioners

Alexandra Graham () and Carrie L. Mitchell ()
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Alexandra Graham: School of Planning, University of Waterloo
Carrie L. Mitchell: School of Planning, University of Waterloo

Climatic Change, 2016, vol. 139, issue 3, No 4, 395 pages

Abstract: Abstract City planners have an opportunity to act as agents of change to build resilience within their cities to respond to climate change. This article builds on urban climate governance research and organizational change theory to focus on how city planners’ partnerships with boundary organizations influence adaptation planning. At the root of effective urban climate governance is the integration of science and policy. Boundary organizations offer a governance approach that disseminates knowledge, builds capacity, and engages more participants in the adaptation planning process. However, little is known about how these partnerships foster adaptation at the local scale. Using a case study in Metro Vancouver, this study investigated how boundary organizations can better influence municipal adaptation action. The results of this study demonstrated that boundary organizations were perceived as more influential when they were credible, legitimate, and salient as well as when they provided action-oriented support. Ultimately, this paper contributes to the literature by illustrating how boundary organizations operate at the sub-regional scale to foster adaptation and proposing tangible practices to improve the effectiveness of partnerships.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1007/s10584-016-1799-6

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