Overcoming barriers to integrate more justice into climate change policies. Lessons from adaptation policies and flood risk management in Flanders and France

Abstract

The paper aims to improve the general and practical understanding of justice in climate change policies, both in terms of how policymakers integrate justice elements in political intentions and policy implementation. The paper is based on social scientific and qualitative research on justice in climate change policies, with a focus on both the study of climate adaptation policies and, more concretely, the study of flood risk management. The main objective is to identify obstacles to the definition and implementation of justice in policies. The article offers a cross-national analysis of the issue of justice in Flanders and France, between 2000 and 2020, of the issue of justice in climate adaptation policies, with a particular focus on flood management. Based on policy documents’ analysis, the study helps to clarify barriers to pragmatically embed justice in policies’ decision making, at the formulation stage through four cross-cutting issues: leadership, resources, information and values.