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Polycentric systems and interacting planetary boundaries — Emerging governance of climate change–ocean acidification–marine biodiversity

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  • Galaz, Victor
  • Crona, Beatrice
  • Österblom, Henrik
  • Olsson, Per
  • Folke, Carl

Abstract

Planetary boundaries and their interactions pose severe challenges for global environmental governance due to their inherent uncertainties and complex multi-scale dynamics. Here we explore the global governance challenge posed by planetary boundaries interactions by focusing on the role of polycentric systems and order, a theoretical field that has gained much interest in the aftermath of claims of a stagnant UN-process. In the first part we work toward a clarification of polycentric order in an international context, and develop three propositions. We then present a case study of the emergence of international polycentricity to address interacting planetary boundaries, namely the climate change, ocean acidification and loss of marine biodiversity complex. This is done through a study of the Global Partnership on Climate, Fisheries and Aquaculture (PaCFA) initiative. As the case study indicates, a range of mechanisms of polycentric order (ranging from information sharing to coordinated action and conflict resolution) operates at the international level through the interplay between individuals, international organizations and their collaboration patterns. While polycentric coordination of this type certainly holds potential, it is also vulnerable to internal tensions, unreliable external flows of funding, and negative institutional interactions.

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  • Galaz, Victor & Crona, Beatrice & Österblom, Henrik & Olsson, Per & Folke, Carl, 2012. "Polycentric systems and interacting planetary boundaries — Emerging governance of climate change–ocean acidification–marine biodiversity," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 21-32.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:81:y:2012:i:c:p:21-32
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2011.11.012
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    5. Tiffany H. Morrison & W. Neil Adger & Katrina Brown & Maria Carmen Lemos & Dave Huitema & Terry P. Hughes, 2017. "Mitigation and adaptation in polycentric systems: sources of power in the pursuit of collective goals," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 8(5), September.
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    7. de Wit, Fronika & Mourato, João, 2022. "Governing the diverse forest: Polycentric climate governance in the Amazon," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    8. Gallemore, Caleb & Di Gregorio, Monica & Moeliono, Moira & Brockhaus, Maria & Prasti H., Rut Dini, 2015. "Transaction costs, power, and multi-level forest governance in Indonesia," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 168-179.
    9. Pittman, Jeremy & Armitage, Derek & Alexander, Steven & Campbell, Donovan & Alleyne, Marium, 2015. "Governance fit for climate change in a Caribbean coastal-marine context," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 486-498.
    10. Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Van de Graaf, Thijs, 2018. "Building or stumbling blocks? Assessing the performance of polycentric energy and climate governance networks," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 317-324.
    11. Marola, Elena & Schöpfner, Judith & Gallemore, Caleb & Jespersen, Kristjan, 2020. "The bandwidth problem in telecoupled systems governance: Certifying sustainable winemaking in Australia and Chile," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    12. Galaz, Victor & Biermann, Frank & Folke, Carl & Nilsson, Måns & Olsson, Per, 2012. "Global environmental governance and planetary boundaries: An introduction," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 1-3.
    13. Cille Kaiser, 2022. "Rethinking polycentricity: on the North–South imbalances in transnational climate change governance," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 693-713, December.
    14. Gallemore, Caleb & Jespersen, Kristjan, 2016. "Transnational Markets for Sustainable Development Governance: The Case of REDD+," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 79-94.
    15. Fred Saunders, 2015. "Planetary boundaries: at the threshold… again: sustainable development ideas and politics," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 823-835, August.
    16. Caleb Gallemore, 2017. "Transaction costs in the evolution of transnational polycentric governance," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 17(5), pages 639-654, October.
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    18. Djenontin, Ida N.S. & Zulu, Leo C., 2021. "The quest for context-relevant governance of agro-forest landscape restoration in Central Malawi: Insights from local processes," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).

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