The impact of governance on environmental outcomes in Australian natural resource planning and management

Abstract

This study addresses the general research question of how collaborative governance has impacted on environmental outcomes in Australian natural resource planning and management. The thesis argues that the discrepancy between theoretical expectations and practical results of collaboration lies in the implementation arrangements of collaborative governance. Within these arrangements, collaboration does not occur in a ‘pure’ form but rather, it is mixed with other governance approaches, such as hierarchy and markets. Collaborative governance not only is ‘impure’, but also inconsistent, as it occurs within a multi-level setting of governing centres. This mix of governance approaches and levels lead to a range of tensions within the overall collaborative framework. As a consequence, collaborative governance fails to coordinate the different actors and levels of governance involved in environmental policy and planning to achieve improved natural resource conditions. In practice, some actors are excluded, authority or power-sharing is limited, responsibility sharing is not properly defined, and mixed implementation instruments generate conflict.This thesis focuses on the regional level of governance −represented by a set of Natural Resource Management (NRM) regions− in its interaction with federal and state levels of governance. The regional level is more directly involved with the implementation of natural resource planning and management. The study argues that there is an indirect relationship between governance and environmental outcomes. One in which governance represents an indirect driver or facilitator in the achievement of improved environmental conditions. The research adopts a mixed methods approach, based on qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis. Semi-structured interviews, water quality data and the application of the process-outcomes governance evaluation framework supported the analysis of the impact of collaborative governance on water quality outcomes achieved by a water quality plan in the Great Barrier Reef. The interpretation of the findings draws on concepts of metagovernance and governing approaches as well as on the conceptualization of the relationship between governance and outcomes.The key findings are organised around three themes. The first theme relates to the limited, but mildly beneficial role played by collaboration in the achievement of water quality outcomes. Despite the marginal focus on the impacts of collaborative governance, this governance approach has become the foundation of further water quality planning efforts in the GBR. The second theme focuses on the different impacts of regional collaborative governance approaches on environmental outcomes as a means explain the relationship between governance and environmental outcomes. It highlights potential positive associations between collaboration-environmental outcomes variables, based on a proxy variable of collaboration. This analysis is complemented by an explanation of the role of external factors to the indirect (but decisive) relationship between governance and environmental outcomes. The third theme relates to the tensions created by the intersection of different governance approaches within collaborative governance. This final theme focuses on the implications for collaborative governance approaches, based on the recognition of these tensions.