The diffusion of climate change adaptation policy

Abstract

Adapting to some level of climate change has become unavoidable. However, there is surprisingly limited systematic knowledge about whether and how adaptation policies have diffused and could diffuse in the future. Most existing adaptation studies do not explicitly examine policy diffusion, which is a form of interdependent policy-making among jurisdictions at the same or across different levels of governance. To address this gap, we offer a new interpretation and assessment of the extensive adaptation policy literature through a policy diffusion perspective; we pay specific attention to diffusion drivers and barriers, motivations, mechanisms, outputs, and outcomes. We assess the extent to which four motivations and related mechanisms of policy diffusioninterests (linked with learning and competition), rights and duties (tied to coercion), ideology, and recognition (both connected with emulation)-are conceptually and empirically associated with adaptation. We also engage with adaptation policy characteristics, contextual conditions (e.g., problem severity) and different channels of adaptation policy diffusion (e.g., transnational networks). We demonstrate that adaptation policy diffusion can be associated with different mechanisms, yet many of them remain remarkably understudied. So are the effects of adaptation policy diffusion in terms of changes in vulnerability and resilience. We thus identify manifold avenues for future research, and provide insights for practitioners who may hope to leverage diffusion mechanisms to enhance their adaptation efforts.

Diffusion and upscaling of municipal climate mitigation and adaptation strategies in Germany

“…The concept of policy diffusion can help to explain the rapid spread of climate strategies across cities. This perspective first took hold in the 1960s with studies of how different American states adopted similar approaches (Karch 2007;Kern 2000;Gray 1973;Walker 1969), and has since been applied to many policy areas, including climate and energy policies (Kammerer and Namhata 2018;Schoenefeld et al 2022). Rogers (2003, p. 5) defines diffusion as "the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time amongst the members of a social system."…”

What motivates and hinders municipal adaptation policy? Exploring vertical and horizontal diffusion in Hessen and Finland

“…A number of external motivations and barriers can be associated with both vertical and horizontal patterns of policy diffusion (Schoenefeld et al 2022). For example, climate (adaptation) managers and their networks may contribute to the diffusion of specific policies (see Kenkmann et al 2021).…”

“…The Hessian survey asked the municipalities explicitly whether they had oriented their adaptation activities on those of others, which is one of the research strategies that has been recommended in the debate on adaptation policy diffusion (Schoenefeld et al 2022). In total, around 35% of all municipalities reported some direct external orientation in their adaptation policy-making, that is they answered that they had at least modelled some of their adaptation policies on those of others.…”

“…The diversity of municipalities and the variation of particular adaptation needs and abilities are, however, often overlooked. The size and level of available resources of municipalities may, for example, be important (Schoenefeld et al 2022). This paper explores this diversity in assessing motivations and barriers that may affect municipal adaptation policy development and implementation as well as the vertical and horizontal diffusion of adaptation policies.…”

“…As a baseline definition, we understand municipal adaptation policy to be the decisions and the actions taken by municipal, and thus public, actors to cope with the impacts of climate change (see Schoenefeld et al 2022). We thus focus on adaptation that is intentional and directly focused on reducing vulnerability to climate change impacts and increasing municipal resilience (see Dupuis and Biesbroek 2013).…”