Abstract
This contribution investigates how combinations of instruments, often called policy mixes, enhance policy learning processes at different levels. It analyzes the European Union’s (EU) Covenant of Mayors (CoM) that is underpinned by a set of learning instruments, to promote local action for sustainable energy and climate. The piece offers an original framework to explore whether and how the Covenant enhances learning at the level of European institutions and among local governments. Drawing on an extensive documentary review and elite interviews in four countries (Germany, Italy, Poland and the UK), the analysis shows that the CoM instrument mix has enhanced certain elements of learning within the actors leading the Covenant as well as many of the local governments within and outside the EU, but only if certain conditions operate, such as political leadership, individual motivation and knowledge and regional coordination mechanisms.
Highlights
Over the last decade, an increasing number of studies have investigated how different instruments can enhance policy learning in multi-level settings, especially in the global climate governance context (Jordan et al, 2018)
The first dimension comes from Radaelli (2008), asking who is instigating learning and who is the target of learning? First, ‘learning at the top’ depicts learning that originates, circulates and seeks to influence actors at the top of the multi-level process and to shape and calibrate the instruments
Covenant of Mayors (CoM) offers a promising case study to answer these questions. This program activates multiple learning instruments working as a policy mix; its objective is to encourage local authorities to build sustainable energy and climate policies based on European Union (EU) objectives and targets
Summary
An increasing number of studies have investigated how different instruments can enhance policy learning in multi-level settings, especially in the global climate governance context (Jordan et al, 2018). CoM offers a promising case study to answer these questions This program activates multiple learning instruments working as a policy mix; its objective is to encourage local authorities to build sustainable energy and climate policies based on EU objectives and targets. Learning is more likely if the instrument mix encourages: socialization by the CoM members (Radaelli, 2020); participation including as many stakeholders as possible in the co-production of knowledge (Ibid); processes that exploit the membership’s heterogeneity to incorporate diverse perspectives and experiences (Benz & Fürst, 2002); the building of trust among the CoM members and supporting CoM bodies (Ibid); cooperative and competitive incentives that induce CoM members to improve their performance (Ibid); a well-resourced and extensive policy mix that triggers systematic reflection by all CoM members and supporting bodies (Sanderson, 2002); and a stable institutional capacity that retains knowledge and expertise (Dunlop, 2015). The learning impact of the CoM is higher the more pro-active its coordinating bodies are in performing periodic assessment, revision and improvement of the program (Schoenefeld & Jordan, 2019), reflecting both the evolving international agenda and the evaluation of CoM implementation results (Proposition Three)
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