The mirage of integration: Taking a street-level perspective on the nexus approach

Abstract

The nexus approach for sustainable management of natural resources combines environmental management and governance across sectors and scales. This approach, along with other integrative practices, has however seen limited uptake in practice despite its great promise. Drawing on the ‘street-level bureaucracy concept’, this article examines the role of policymakers in a nexus project, using interviews with international civil servants on a natural resource use team. Barriers and opportunities for the adoption of integrative thinking are identified, and factors influencing the nexus process are found to range from individual, organizational, contextual, and political factors to external actors. The most prominent factor is found to be individual factors, mainly due to discretion during implementation and individual values and norms. Solutions to improve adoption will vary depending on the operational environment and the article highlights the importance of perspective knowledge and a sound theoretical understanding of complex systems involved.