Participation in Environmental Governance: Legitimate and Effective?

Newig, Jens; Kvarda, Eva

doi:10.4337/9781849806077.00010

Cited by 30 publications

(19 citation statements)

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“…The legitimacy of governance systems has been defined as the acceptance and agreement of the governed actors to the systems rules, allocation of power, and to the exercise of this power, even if against their own interests (Krause & Nielsen, ; Schmidt, ; Wallington, Lawrence, & Loechel, ). Debates on the concept of legitimacy in polycentric systems have become increasingly important in recent environmental governance research (Newig & Kvarda, ; Suškevičs, ; Wallington et al, ). It has been stated that the legitimacy of polycentric systems faces some serious challenges, such as jurisdictional integrity or transparency (Black, ; Newig et al, ; Skelcher, ).…”

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Three dimensions distinguish the concept of legitimacy: (a) input legitimacy, which evaluates who is involved in decision making and how the process of decision making is organized; (b) throughput legitimacy, which evaluates the process of decision making itself; and (c) output legitimacy, which evaluates the outcome of decision making (Newig & Kvarda, ; Rantala, ; Schmidt, ; Skelcher & Torfing, ). In wind power project planning, a trade‐off between input‐legitimacy and output‐efficiency exists because a deliberative wind power planning process with meaningful participation of all stakeholders can be a barrier for the efficient realization of projects (Liljenfeldt, ).…”

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Actor perceptions of polycentricity in wind power governance

2018

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Wind power development as an alternative to fossil fuels or nuclear energy is currently a challenge for many countries. Wind power development often leads to conflicts between different actors. This case study examines conflict about wind power projects in forested landscapes in Rhineland‐Palatinate, Germany, and Maine, USA. Specifically, actor perspectives on polycentric governance and its legitimacy to manage such complex conflicts were evaluated based on 40 qualitative, semistructured interviews with actors engaged in wind power decisions from various sectors. Polycentric governance has been advocated by many to alleviate conflicts and arrive at sustainable solutions in complex resource management settings. Polycentric governance systems of wind power issues were regarded positively and considered as having high legitimacy by interview participants. Even though individuals had varied perceptions, the combined perceptions of the two polycentric systems in Rhineland‐Palatinate and Maine and the factors that constitute legitimacy in wind power governance were similar in both cases.

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Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Theoretical Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

Actor perceptions of polycentricity in wind power governance

2018

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“…This demonstrates legitimacy's link to effectiveness; proof of capacity enhances legitimacy(Newig & Kvarda, 2012).Another link apparent in the findings, but not as clearly discussed in the legitimacy literature is the connection to individuals. For the CWB, LWA, and SLIPP/SWC in the growth stage, deliberative process and outputs were common legitimacy sources as these bodies worked to demonstrate results via discursive processes.…”

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confidence: 55%

Legitimacy assessment throughout the life of collaborative water governance

Melnychuk

Loë

2020

Env Pol Gov

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Collaborative governance arrangements involving a diversity of groups (e.g., governments, civil society, industry) are increasingly being used to make decisions or give advice to decision-makers on water issues. Legitimacy is a critical factor for the effectiveness, efficiency, stability, and popular approval of collaborative efforts. However, as a concept, legitimacy remains contested with various meanings, theoretical backgrounds, and source norms. Clarity is particularly needed around the changing sources of legitimacy as collaborative efforts mature. Drawing on casestudy research of five collaborations in British Columbia, Canada, we present a framework of legitimacy sources as collaborations evolve. Legitimacy during the establishment of a collaboration depends principally on community readiness to collaborate, a sense of need, and the perceived potential for goal achievement. As a collaboration continues to grow, its legitimacy forms mainly from normative processesthe perceived quality of factors such as accountability, transparency, consensusbuilding, and representation of relevant discourses. Once a collaboration reaches maturity and faces questions of its future existence, legitimacy is largely resultbased-tangible and contextually meaningful outcomes must be easily identifiable and promoted. Increased understanding of the dynamics of legitimacy can help collaborative efforts strategically plan and work toward their goals as they evolve.

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“…In order to increase public trust, reduce stakeholder conflicts, and encourage acceptance of new grid developments, recent research suggests better information provision and more emphasis on communication and community involvement at an earlier stage and in a more deliberative planning process (RGI, 2012;Newig and Kvarda, 2012;Cotton and Devine-Wright, 2012;CSE, 2009). …”

Section: The Need For a New Approach To Grid Conflictsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Solution that Might Have Been: Resolving Social Conflict in Deliberations about Future Electricity Grid Development

Tobiasson

Jamasb

2016

Energy Research & Social Science

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Use policyThe full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that:• a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in DRO • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.Please consult the full DRO policy for further details. Increasingly, local opposition to new electricity grid developments cause lengthy delays and places financial and practical strain on the projects. The structure of the electricity industry is in transition due to the emergence of smaller but more numerous generation facilities. Also, the wider society and local communities increasingly engage with energy and environmental issues. At the same time, the traditional decision making frameworks and processes are proving less effective in solving the present time conflicts between local communities and other stakeholders. This paper proposes an economic approach to resolve such conflicts. We discuss how compensation, benefit sharing, and property rights can have a role in reducing community opposition to grid developments. However, we argue that these methods need to be part of an overarching policy towards conflict resolution in grid development. We then propose that such impacts can be addressed within the framework of 'weak' versus 'strong' sustainability. Finally, we suggest that the concepts of 'collective negotiation' and 'menu of options' in regulatory economics can be adapted to operationalise the suggested sustainability-based approach to arrive at more efficient and socially desirable outcomes. The proposed framework can lead to the identification of socially acceptable outcomes that could otherwise have gone undetected.

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Participation in Environmental Governance: Legitimate and Effective?

Cited by 30 publications

References 0 publications

Actor perceptions of polycentricity in wind power governance

Actor perceptions of polycentricity in wind power governance

Legitimacy assessment throughout the life of collaborative water governance

The Solution that Might Have Been: Resolving Social Conflict in Deliberations about Future Electricity Grid Development

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