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Governance description


Institutional description (or governance description) is composed of methods that describe the actors and institutions relevant for adaptation. Due to adaptation being a relatively new field, there are a number of approaches to describe the actors and institutions relevant for adaptation in a given geographical location or sector, e.g. for different levels of decision-making: national governments, local governments and private individuals.



AP interactive decision tree - click any node to select it

For example, Tol and Klein (2008) review the institutional context for adaptation in coastal zone management in Europe. They identify three levels of decision-making: national governments, local governments and private individuals. They find that national level decisions are partly determined by EU policies, e.g. in Coastal Bathing Water Directive, the Water Framework Directive and the Habitat Directive. This type of approach requires no strong theoretical assumptions on the part of the analyst, and contributes to adaptation by providing a more comprehensive description of the policy context in which adaptation takes place.

Question addressed

Identifying the relevant actors and institutions for adaptation.

Conditions of applicability

Climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerability are a result of many actors interacting and making many interrelated decisions.

Theoretical assumptions

[text to be added]

Steps taken

1. Identify actors and institutions

Results achieved

Description of institutions and actors relevant for adaptation.

Issues involved

[text to be added]


Example cases from literature

Tol and Klein (2008) review the institution context for adaptation in coastal zone management in Europe. They identify three levels of decisionmaking: national governments, local governments and private individuals. The EU regulates certain areas in Coastal Bathing Water Directive and nature, through the Habitat Directive. National governments are at different states of awareness regarding coastal management, different states of urgency.



This section is based on the UNEP PROVIA guidance document


Criteria checklist

1. You want to identify adaptation measures.
2. Your focus is on public actors and on collective actions.
3. Either the type of interdepencence is unknown or it is unknown whether there is a coordination solution.