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A practical framework for environmental governance
Source publication
Governance is one of the most important factors for ensuring effective environmental management and conservation actions. Yet, there is still a relative paucity of comprehensive and practicable guidance that can be used to frame the evaluation, design, and analysis of systems of environmental governance. This conceptual review and synthesis article...
Citations
... This research applies and builds on the theoretical concept of coevolutionary governance (Jones, 2014;Jones and Long, 2021). Many studies have focused on the concept of 'good governance' (Bennett and Satterfield, 2018), premised on Weberian principles outlined by Rhodes (1997): legitimacy, transparency and accountability, which have since been elaborated on and applied to the governance of protected areas, adding the principles of inclusiveness, fairness, connectivity and resilience (Lockwood, 2010). These principles form the basis of the PAME methodologies (GD-PAME, 2024) and related best practice guidelines on the governance of protected areas (Borrini-Feyerabend et al., 2013), and are employed as the conceptual basis of some recent MPA effectiveness meta-analyses (Gill et al., 2017;Bennett et al., 2019;Di Franco et al., 2020). ...
A target to conserve 30% of oceans by designating marine protected areas (MPAs) has been agreed, yet the effectiveness of existing MPAs is often low, with few weakly implemented restrictions on impacting uses. Drawing on coevolutionary governance and social-ecological systems concepts, we hypothesize that (1) effective governance frameworks for MPAs rely on various combinations of diverse incentives, which encourage people (actors) to behave in a manner that reduces the impacts of their uses and thereby more effectively achieves conservation objectives; (2) effective MPAs will tend to employ a higher diversity of governance incentives, creating resilient MPAs analogous to resilient ecosystems with higher species diversity. This multiple case study empirical analysis of the governance of 50 MPAs supports these hypotheses and demonstrates that: (a) there is strong correlation between the effectiveness of MPAs and the number of governance incentives used; (b) combinations of economic, legal, communication, knowledge and participatory incentives are shown to be employed in effective MPAs and mostly needed in less effective MPAs; (c) whilst some incentives are frequently identified as being important to promote effectiveness, no particular ‘magic wand’ incentive or ‘best practice’ combinations of incentives guarantee this. These findings show that effectiveness is not determined by any specific governance approaches or incentives, but rather the combination of a diversity of functionally integrated incentives, which interact with and support one another to promote MPA effectiveness and resilience, i.e. diversity is the key to resilience, both of species in ecosystems and incentives in governance systems.
... However, governance is often formed by a complex web of actors, decision-making structures and processes, rules and norms, formal and informal networks, and more features. Bennett and Satterfield (2018) suggest a practical framework for environmental governance to handle such complexity. The framework was developed through a comprehensive review of academic literature on environmental governance. ...
... Further, the framework presents four objectives of governance: effective, equitable, responsive, and robust. For each objective, the framework presents a set of defining attributes: Effective is related to attributes such as coordination, direction, capacity, and efficiency; equitable relates to recognition, participation, and fairness; responsive Bennett and Satterfield (2018) www.kva.se/en relates to the governance's possibility to adapt and learn, be flexible, and innovative; and finally, robust can be described as how legitimate, connected, and nested governance is (Bennett and Satterfield 2018). ...
... For each objective, the framework presents a set of defining attributes: Effective is related to attributes such as coordination, direction, capacity, and efficiency; equitable relates to recognition, participation, and fairness; responsive Bennett and Satterfield (2018) www.kva.se/en relates to the governance's possibility to adapt and learn, be flexible, and innovative; and finally, robust can be described as how legitimate, connected, and nested governance is (Bennett and Satterfield 2018). Therefore, this framework offers a theory-based, but also practical, way of studying environmental governance and enables a structured way of mapping governance elements and analyzing the governance objectives. ...
The study examines the governance of low trophic species mariculture (LTM) using Sweden as a case study. LTM, involving species such as seaweeds and mollusks, offers ecosystem services and nutritious foods. Despite its potential to contribute to blue growth and Sustainable Development Goals, LTM development in the EU and OECD countries has stagnated. A framework for mapping governance elements (institutions, structures, and processes) and analyzing governance objective (effective, equitable, responsive, and robust) was combined with surveys addressed to the private entrepreneurs in the sector. Analysis reveals ineffective institutions due to lack of updated legislation and guidance, resulting in ambiguous interpretations. Governance structures include multiple decision-making bodies without a clear coordination agency. Licensing processes were lengthy and costly for the private entrepreneurs, and the outcomes were uncertain. To support Sweden’s blue bioeconomy, LTM governance requires policy integration, clearer direction, coordinated decision-making, and mechanisms for conflict resolution and learning.
... The growing concerns surrounding climate change have led stakeholders to call for corporate governance practices prioritizing environmental practices and sustainability (Esterhuyse, 2020). Effective governance is crucial in promoting environmental management and improving environmental practices (Bennett and Satterfield, 2018;Ismail et al., 2024). Notably, innovative environmental practices are associated with efficient management and a commitment to addressing environmental issues (Bakker and Ritts, 2018). ...
Purpose
Climate change is one of our time’s most pressing global environmental challenges, and environmental innovation is critical to addressing it. This study aims to investigate the relationship between environmental innovation and carbon emission in the healthcare industry in Europe while also examining the moderating role of environmental governance.
Design/methodology/approach
Data for this study were collected from publicly listed healthcare companies in ten European countries spanning the years 2012–2021. The selected countries encompassed Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The research encompassed all healthcare companies for which data were accessible, resulting in a comprehensive dataset comprising 1,210 companies. The authors collected data from multiple sources, including annual reports, the World Bank and Eikon databases, to ensure a robust and extensive dataset.
Findings
The results of this study indicate that environmental governance plays a significant moderating role in the relationship between environmental innovation and carbon emission within the healthcare sector in Europe, but when combined with high levels of environmental innovation, strong environmental governance leads to enhanced efforts to reduce carbon emissions. This combination also contributes to meeting the expectations of a broader range of stakeholders and maintaining legitimacy.
Practical implications
The study’s findings have practical implications for healthcare regulators, policymakers and various stakeholders. It underscores the importance of integrating solid environmental governance and innovation to address climate change challenges in the healthcare sector effectively. This integrated approach not only helps reduce carbon emissions but also contributes to achieving sustainable outcomes while satisfying a wider range of stakeholders.
Originality/value
This study adds to the existing body of knowledge by highlighting the significant role of environmental governance as a moderator in the relationship between environmental innovation and carbon emission in the healthcare industry. The research findings provide valuable insights for academics, practitioners and decision-makers, emphasizing the need to combine governance and innovation for sustainable outcomes in healthcare sectors.
... However, there are also many examples of governance success as analyzed by focused theories, providing some with robust empirical support. More recently, there has been a rise in more combinatory analytical theories and frameworks, reflecting scholarship on social-ecological systems (Partelow 2018, Colding andBarthel 2019), but also assuming multiple ways of knowing, combining, and building on foundational theory (Bennett and Satterfield 2018). Much of the combinatory analyses in environmental governance are linked to concepts that bridge scholarship between the social and natural sciences, while adding a complex systems-thinking approach and a normative orientation. ...
... With a toolbox approach, "-ary" is not only necessary to simply understand the analyses of others, but also to broaden our own analytical capacity. Such progress is already evident within the governance literature (Berkes 2015, Markus et al. 2018, Partelow et al. 2018c, and the broader environmental governance literature (Davidson and Frickel 2004, Campbell 2005, Bennett and Roth 2015, Cox et al. 2016, Bennett and Satterfield 2018, Colding and Barthel 2019. This emerging body of scholarship outlines the evolving nature and benefits of "-ary" and pursing collaborative scholarship in the environmental governance field. ...
Governance theories form the bedrock of governance mechanisms. But a lot has flowed over the bridge from the time these theories were postulated. The world has become more global, businesses have become more complex, societies have become more aware of their rights, and concerns over the planet, earth, and people, ecological balances have increased and of course, the environment has become more polluted. Business sustainability faces a bigger challenge than ever before because for them to do good business they need to be better corporate citizens and ensure that the profits only do not determine their strategies and goals. With this background, adopting a qualitative approach with an in-depth literature review, the aim of this chapter is to revisit governance theories for understanding the nexus and intersection between ESG and sustainability.
... Collaboration with government agencies and universities is essential to ensure the framework's objectives align with environmental governance. Bennett and Satterfield emphasized the critical role of government involvement in effective environmental management and conservation actions [18]. Therefore, more precise conceptualizations are needed to advance the usage of NGS technology in research. ...
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has transformed genomics, presenting significant potential for advancing wildlife conservation. NGS technology offers opportunities and challenges for addressing scientific questions in wildlife management. Unfortunately, there is a lack of comprehensive records on NGS implementation in Southeast Asia, particularly concerning wildlife conservation. To address this gap, we analyzed NGS studies focused on wildlife monitoring in Southeast Asia and introduced a practical framework for implementing NGS technologies in global wildlife conservation, especially in Southeast Asia. We systematically reviewed NGS studies in wildlife monitoring from the SCOPUS database. We identified 137 relevant publications from 11 countries, with Malaysia contributing 36% of the studies. The included studies were categorized into five themes: species identification, dietary assessment, health monitoring, taxonomic resolution, and whole-genome sequencing, with the majority focusing on 38 publications related to wildlife health. The framework developed in this study help the researchers and conservation practitioners with insights on NGS technology application in conservation while also addressing the benefits, limitations, and ethical considerations associated with NGS use. This review offers a brief overview of NGS usage and provides guidelines for embracing NGS as a valuable tool for effective wildlife conservation strategies in our rapidly changing world.
... Environmental governance recognizes laws and policies drive agencies and organizations to make regulatory decisions (Bennett and Satterfield 2018), albeit with findings and interpretations changing over time. Under the United States Clean Water Act, mitigation is required when impacting federally protected wetlands above a threshold (USACE and USEPA 2008). ...
Wetlands are important ecosystems that contribute to the sustainability of global ecosystems and provide ecosystem functions and services to human civilization. However, many anthropogenic land use practices have led to the degradation of wetlands, making them globally imperiled ecosystems. Within the United States, wetland mitigation is a federally regulated restoration strategy that offsets and compensates for impacts on aquatic resources through restoration. Performance standards assess post-restoration ecosystem development and help regulate management actions. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the organization and interactions of states and federal agencies in determining wetland mitigation performance standards. Using a mixed method approach, including semi-structured interviews and online database reviews, we identify decision-making drivers from the state agency perspective. We develop a ranking classification of state legislation that references performance standards and describes guidance documents by type of authorship. Our findings detail the results of our inquiry into each state's procedures, including performance standards, revealing diverse management approaches across the nation as states play various implementation and regulatory roles and are driven by collaboration and negotiation among regulators, state and federal legislation, and guidance documents. In addition, we found performance standards most often assess biotic characteristics, with vegetative criteria being the most common. This study synthesizes performance-standard determination and criteria derived from interviews across a spectrum of federal and state participants and a series of guidance documents. We have built a database of these criteria by state and theme to improve our understanding of the dynamic interplay between wetland mitigation science, practice, and policy. Our findings are discussed in the context of the 2023 Sackett vs. United States Environmental Protection Agency ruling.
... While this qualitative approach is limited in not being amenable to many kinds of detailed statistics, it has proven useful in organizational analyses where many actors can affect outcomes in different ways depending on their positions [27]. Bennett and Satterfiel's [29] governance assessment framework focusing on agency effectiveness was applied by focusing on governmental structures and institutions concerned with CITES implemen-tation. The UNDP 2018 Users Guide framework provided indicators for assessing agency capacity, structures, and staffing competence [30]. ...
International trade is hastening extinction for many species of plants and animals despite the fact that many countries have ratified CITES. The adoption of treaties is often symbolic as many countries, especially in the developing world where most biodiversity is found, experience a lack of fit between international agreements and national laws and institutions. Our main objective here is to assess the extent of jurisdictional and institutional fit in the implementation of CITES in Kenya, an important issue given the amount of international trade in wild products and the importance of wildlife tourism to the country. The specific objectives are to assess the following: the capacity and level of coordination among state actors and conservation mandates in national policy and law using a mixed methods approach involving a literature review and 38 key informant surveys representing professional expertise from various stakeholder groups. We found that over 60% of respondents indicated only moderate capacity for the implementation of CITES and coordination between local and central governments. Some participants indicated that judicial officers lack adequate conservation knowledge, thus hampering enforcement via low prosecution rates. A moderate (at best) structural fit involving inefficiencies such as conflicting processes, unequal enforcement, and suboptimal coordination implies a degree of failure in developing the implementation capacity of CITES within Kenya. Our results also show a mismatch between agency staffing and workload at several levels of government, and we make suggestions for improvement.
... While MSP needs to be designed for change (see component 6), it also needs to ensure legal certainty for ocean users. At a strategic level, the foundation upon which MSP builds needs to be 'set in stone' and robust to changing circumstances (e.g., so that decision-makers cannot go back and overrule established decisions when governments or ministries change) 93 . At the same time, at an operational level, managers need the flexibility to adapt and 'move things around' when needed without disrupting the strategic design. ...
Planning of marine areas has spread widely over the past two decades to support sustainable ocean management and governance. However, to succeed in a changing ocean, marine spatial planning (MSP) must be ‘climate-smart’— integrating climate-related knowledge, being flexible to changing conditions, and supporting climate actions. While the need for climate-smart MSP has been globally recognized, at a practical level, marine managers and planners require further guidance on how to put it into action. Here, we suggest ten key components that, if well-integrated, would promote the development and implementation of sustainable, equitable, climate-smart MSP initiatives around the globe.
... Es así que Illich imagina la construcción de sociedades post industriales y a medida de lo posible post capitalistas, libres y creativas, en donde la avanzada hacia los nuevos acuerdos sociales, las responsabilidades mutuas, los procesos productivos y redistributivos, así como relaciones ambientales, las lideren directamente las bases populares y subalternas, y no la emergencia de nuevas burocracias, élites corporativas y/o círculos expertos (Hornedo, 2002;Zaid, 2011). Este planteamiento va más allá de los enfoques de gobernanza policéntrica y anidada (Agrawal, 2003;Ostrom, 2009;Bennett & Satterfield, 2018), ya que propugna dominios plenos y toma de decisiones ...
En este artículo planteo que, grosso modo, la industria conservacionista y el correspondiente establecimiento y administración de Áreas Naturales Protegidas, a pesar de sus múltiples intentos de flexibilización y renovación de las últimas décadas, no ha podido y será muy difícil que realmente logre compaginarse con los modos y mundos de vida de una gran mayoría de pueblos originarios y comunidades campesinas de América Latina. En consecuencia, comienza a amalgamarse una búsqueda creciente y colectiva por parte de los propios pueblos y comunidades, en sinergia con organizaciones civiles y la militancia académica, para articular procesos de reterritorialización, formación discursiva y contra-gubernamentalidad que aquí traduzco académicamente como 'post conservación' territorial. A partir de más de una década de experiencia etnográfica en pueblos y comunidades inmersas en dinámicas de conservación, del escrutinio académico y del análisis secundario de casos en el subcontinente, observo cuatro pilares centrales en la post conservación de los territorios indígenas y campesinos: (i) legados bioculturales, (ii) bases ontológicas relacionales de interexistencia, (iii) defensas legales, y (iv) búsquedas de autonomías relativas. Después de desarrollar conceptualmente e ilustrar empíricamente dichos pilares constitutivitos a partir de casos en México y en Guatemala, concluyo reflexionando de qué manera los pueblos originarios y las comunidades campesinas movilizadas de América Latina pueden representar una fractura y frontera, desde el Sur Global, para poner en entredicho los intentos impositivos y cuantitativos de ampliar el sistema de Áreas Naturales Protegidas a una tercera parte de las superficies terrestres y los océanos del planeta.
... Over the past few decades, public participation in government decisions that may have a significant effect on the environment has emerged as an essential element of a new model of environmental governance [7,8,11,15]. Public participation is intended to foster sustainability of development policies, thus promoting economic efficiency, environmental effectiveness, equity, and political legitimacy [24,28,32]. ...
... Although the need to set up an inclusive and transparent process for the designation, management and enforcement of PAs has been constantly emphasised, international and national practice on these issues appears fragmented and highly heterogeneous [6,8]. Public participation is a complex and dynamic concept that evolves following political, social and technological developments, and can be achieved through different rules, procedures and implementing instruments [3]. ...
The Aarhus Convention is a globally recognised benchmark for democratic environmental governance. However, no assessment exists on whether European MPAs comply with the legal standards set out by the Convention. Here, we focus on public authorities’ websites on MPAs as tools for promoting transparency, public involvement, and democratic processes. We assessed the websites of 61 European MPAs in thirteen countries using a survey structured by the three pillars of the Convention: access to information, participation in decision-making, and access to justice. We show that while most websites are used to disseminate information, they do not serve yet as participatory instruments. Very few have an area dedicated to public participation in decision-making and, when available, they provide scarce information on the outcomes of public involvement. Most websites provide general information on the MPA conservation objectives, but less than half provide access to reports on the results of management. Few websites provide information on available means to challenge unlawful acts. Websites’ potential as one of the most widely used, easily accessible, cost-effective sources of information and means for interaction with the general public should be better exploited. Increasing and facilitating the ability of the public to participate in MPA processes is key to ensure MPA success and environmental justice.
