Anthropogenic climate change in European aquatic-terrestrial ecosystems affects ecosystem services and livability in coastal cities. The study examines the vulnerability of the UNESCO heritage site Venice and its Lagoon in the Northern Adriatic Sea. The critical literature review provides a framework for understanding the nature of the wicked problem of the threat of Sea Level Rise arising at the nexus of society and nature. It shows the scope of action for climate change adaptation employing a tentative governance model derived from synthesising literature. Essential governance principles of participation, adaptation, and anticipation are tested in this complex and highly dynamic setting of a managed intertidal wetland.
The analysis of the research unit Venice and its Lagoon shows how adopting governance principles determines the definition of the problem and the target image, resulting in a specific operationalisation of environmental governance or pathway. The study shows the evolving pathway and path dependencies in a site-specific context and provides a research design for the implementation of high-level concepts. It adds to research on analysing and designing transformational governance programs and integrative environmental strategies. The generic model of pathway analysis is an ideal case in the Weberian tradition that can be further tested in comparative and empirical studies.
Table of Contents
- 1. INTRODUCTION
- 2.0. RESEARCH DESIGN
- 2.2. Analytical Steps
- 2.2.1 Critical Literature Review / Model Building
- 2.2.2 Analysis: Model Testing with the Case
- 2.3. Assumptions
- 2.4. Limitations
- 2.2. Analytical Steps
- 3.0 THEORETICAL FRAMING
- 3.1. Governance Principles and Operationalisation
- 3.2. Participation
- 3.5. Adaptation
- 3.6. Anticipation
- 3.7. Tentative Model for Operationalising Environmental Governance and Analysing Pathways
- 4.0 ANALYTICAL SECTION
- 4.1 Part 1: Current State: The Nature of Wickedness
- 4.1.1. Morphology and Site-Specific Characteristics
- 4.1.2. Degradation History and Anthropogenic Pressure
- 4.1.3. Lagoon Protection
- 4.1.4. Current Drivers of Environmental Degradation
- 4.1.5. Accelerated Climate Change and the Risk of Inactivity.
- 4.2 Part 2: Governance Analysis
- 4.2.1 Legal Framework: European and National Level
- 4.2.2 NATURA 2000 - Regulations and Directives
- 4.2.3 Institutionalised Decision-making: National and Regional Level
- 4.2.4 Application of Participative Governance Principles
- 4.2.6 Application of Adaptive Governance Principles
- 4.2.7. Application of Anticipatory Governance Principles
- 4.3. Result: Application of Governance Principles and Evolving Pathway
- 4.1 Part 1: Current State: The Nature of Wickedness
- 5. RESULT SECTION: PATHWAYS
- 6. DISCUSSION
- 7. OUTLOOK AND RECOMMENDATION
- 8. TABLES
- 9. REFERENCES
- 10. FOOTNOTES
Objective & Thematic Focus
This study aims to investigate the evolution of pathways in the operationalisation of environmental governance, identifying suitable models for analyzing implementation pathways given the inherent conflicts between climate change adaptation and socio-economic development within the complex context of a managed intertidal wetland. It also seeks to determine how the governance principles of participation, adaptation, and anticipation shape these implementation pathways.
- Environmental Governance and its Operationalisation
- Climate Change Adaptation and Socio-Economic Development
- Complexity of Managed Intertidal Wetlands (Venice and its Lagoon)
- Governance Principles: Participation, Adaptation, and Anticipation
- Analysis of Transformation Pathways and Governance Gaps
- The Nature of Wicked Problems in Environmental Management
Excerpt from the Book
3.1. Governance Principles and Operationalisation
My critical review illustrates how Environmental Governance employs principles to address the shortcomings of traditional implementation structures when dealing with long-term transformation processes at the nexus of nature and society. I will concentrate on the core principles of Participation, Adaptation, and Anticipation and discuss operationalisation challenges. At the end of the chapter, I offer a tentative model for my governance analysis.
Governance is a vehicle to define and implement strategies. For (Clement and Standish, 2018), 'Governance is a system of social coordination for resolving common challenges (...). It considers who decides, how decisions are made, and where and why we intervene' (Clement and Standish, 2018). Policies, directives and programs, and funding schemes, as well as scientific data and projections (Cavender-Bares et al., 2022), are governance elements and impact outcomes similar to unwritten rules like cultural codes and narratives that frame organisational sensemaking (Weick, 1995; Ditton and Sharrock, 1976; CleÌment, 2021; Clement, 2021). From an evolutionary perspective, transformational governance is a process that supports the reproduction or invention of solutions and, in that way, defines pathways in a specific spatial and timely context (Kanger, Sovacool and Noorkõiv, 2020). Governance creates the dynamics of self-enforcing mechanisms that explain path dependency or the evolving of a new path through paradigm shifts. (Sydow, Schreyögg and Koch, 2009; Lehoux and Foster, 2012)
Holling and Meffee (1996) emphasise the need for an altered governance approach to meet environmental challenges. They discuss the shortcomings of traditional command and control structures in integrating environmental issues into socioeconomic systems (Clark et al., 2014; Holling & Meffe, 1996; Clark and Westrum, 1989). Accordingly, (Turnheim, Asquith and Geels, 2020) propose a departure from a ‘(...)top-down, prohibitive approach with governments and legal bodies as main actors and decision-makers(...)' towards a new governance paradigm that is ‘(...)more multi-level, polycentric, participatory and has multiple stakeholders involved in the decision-making and execution' (Winkler, 2019; Martine et al., 2016).
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Sets the context of anthropogenic climate change affecting coastal ecosystems and introduces Venice and its Lagoon as a case study for climate adaptation strategies.
2.0. RESEARCH DESIGN: Outlines the methodology, involving a critical literature review and a case study approach to analyze Venice and its Lagoon's vulnerability to sea level rise.
3.0 THEORETICAL FRAMING: Discusses the conceptual framework of environmental governance, focusing on principles of participation, adaptation, and anticipation to analyze long-term transformation processes.
4.0 ANALYTICAL SECTION: Provides an in-depth analysis of the current state of Venice and its Lagoon, detailing its morphology, degradation history, protection measures, and drivers of environmental degradation.
5. RESULT SECTION: PATHWAYS: Presents findings on how climate change adaptation strategies are designed and implemented in Venice, highlighting the dominance of science-driven, high-technology solutions.
6. DISCUSSION: Reflects on Venice's historical and current approaches to flood risk management and environmental protection, critiquing the limitations of current governance in addressing complex ecological challenges.
7. OUTLOOK AND RECOMMENDATION: Offers recommendations for future research and practice, emphasizing the need for a more dynamic and systemic approach to environmental governance in transitional wetland ecosystems.
Keywords
Venice Lagoon, environmental governance, climate change adaptation, sea level rise, transformational governance, participatory governance, adaptive governance, anticipatory governance, wicked problems, ecosystem services, wetlands, sustainability, urban planning, policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this paper fundamentally about?
This paper fundamentally analyzes environmental governance in the context of climate change adaptation for the UNESCO heritage site Venice and its Lagoon, focusing on the evolution of pathways and the role of governance principles.
What are the central thematic areas?
The central thematic areas include climate change impacts, particularly sea level rise in coastal zones, environmental governance, transformational governance, the specific vulnerabilities of the Venice Lagoon, and the application of participatory, adaptive, and anticipatory governance principles.
What is the primary objective or research question?
The primary objective is to understand how pathways evolve in the operationalisation of environmental governance, and which models are suitable for analyzing implementation pathways, especially considering conflicts between climate change adaptation and socio-economic development in a complex intertidal wetland. It also aims to determine how participation, adaptation, and anticipation principles shape these pathways.
Which scientific method is used?
The study employs a critical literature review (meta-analysis of peer-reviewed articles and published data) to frame a case study of Venice and its Lagoon, and applies a tentative governance model to identify evolving pathways and governance gaps.
What is covered in the main body?
The main body covers the current state of Venice and its Lagoon, including its morphology, degradation history, and anthropogenic pressures (Part 1: Current State: The Nature of Wickedness), followed by an analysis of how governance principles are applied within its legal and institutional framework (Part 2: Governance Analysis).
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms characterizing this work include Venice Lagoon, environmental governance, climate change adaptation, sea level rise, transformational governance, participatory governance, adaptive governance, anticipatory governance, wicked problems, ecosystem services, wetlands, sustainability, urban planning, and policy.
What are the key governance principles discussed for climate change adaptation in Venice?
The paper focuses on three core governance principles: Participation (involving diverse stakeholders and citizens in co-creation and decision-making), Adaptation (a trial-and-error approach with flexible strategies and frequent observation), and Anticipation (using target images of possible futures to guide decisions and enable learning).
How does the paper characterize the "wicked problem" of Venice and its Lagoon?
The "wicked problem" of Venice and its Lagoon is characterized by its multicausal complexity arising from anthropogenic pressures and accelerated climate change, exacerbated by the lagoon's dynamic natural adaptation and a prevailing paradigm of land and sea exploitation, leading to a vicious circle of environmental degradation and socio-economic challenges.
What is the MO.S.E. flood barrier system and its role in Venice's protection?
The MO.S.E. (Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico) flood barrier system is a controversial submerged structure completed in 2020. Its primary role is to protect Venice's historical center, urban agglomerations, and lagoon salt marshes from "acqua alta" (sudden flooding) caused by spring tides and strong winds, acting as an engineering solution against sea level rise.
Why is citizen participation often limited in Venice's environmental governance?
Citizen participation in Venice is often limited due to institutionalized decision-making processes dominated by selected membership organizations and conventions, a lack of transparency, outdated national data for decision-making, and an unequal bargaining power of citizens compared to powerful stakeholders like industry and government.
- Citar trabajo
- Christiane Gebhardt (Autor), 2024, Venice and its Lagoon. The Environmental and Socio-Economic Dynamics of Climate Change Adaptation, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1681379
