Multi-level Governance Framework Research Articles

Nunavik and the Multiple Dimensions of Inuit Governance

ABSTRACTOver the last five decades, the emergence of a sophisticated and multidimensional set of governance institutions in the predominantly Inuit regions of Canada and the circumpolar north has had a profound impact on the lives of Inuit peoples and the states in which they live. The region of Nunavik in northern Québec has played an important role in the political development of the Canadian and circumpolar Inuit, serving as both an institutional innovator and a key source of leadership at the regional, national, and international levels. Using a multilevel governance framework, this article explores the vertical and horizontal dimensions of Inuit governance in Canada and the circumpolar north. In particular, the article will focus on Nunavik’s contribution to and place in this multidimensional governance structure.

Theorizing the ‘local turn’ in a multi-level governance framework of analysis: a case study in immigrant policies

Theorizing the ‘local turn’ in a multi-level governance framework of analysis: a case study in immigrant policies

Safeguards for enhancing ecological compensation in Sweden

Ecological compensation (EC) is being explored as a policy instrument for the European Union’s ‘No Net Loss of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services’ initiative. EC is commonly associated with the Polluter-Pays Principle, but we propose the Developer-Pays Principle as a more comprehensive principle. Safeguards that are relevant to local and national contexts are needed when addressing social-ecological resilience in the face of risks associated with EC. The operationalisation of EC in Sweden is assessed through two case studies: the E12 highway and Mertainen mine. The institutional design and implementation procedures are investigated through semi-structured interviews as well as an analysis of legal and other written documents. Using a multi-level governance framework, we examine four key disputed issues within compensation. Our results suggest that (i) Risk of a license-to-trash can be minimised; (ii) Complementary quantitative and qualitative ecological valuation methods are needed to achieve additionality and No Net Loss; (iii) Compensation pools may be a promising strategy to secure land availability; and (iv) Social safeguards are vital for EC in high-income countries as well, where they are currently understudied. We conclude that EC cannot be the main instrument for nature conservation, but rather complementary to a strong legal framework that protects biodiversity and ecosystems in addition to the sustained and equitable benefits of ecosystem services.

To what extent does governance change because of sub-regional cooperation? The analysis of Iskandar-Malaysia

The research puzzle of this article is to understand and explain the process of Iskandar-Malaysia region building. By doing that the article contributes to the debate around how regions emerge and to what extent states have to adapt to, cooperate with, and compete with them. Within the framework of regulatory regionalism and multi-level governance, the paper aims to address one main question: how and to what extent interactions between state and non-state actors that contribute to produce new (cross-border) regional forms may politically and economically reconfigure states' relations. This is the first study on Iskandar-Malaysia that focuses attention on the sub-national border governance that is shaped by the interaction between Singaporean, Malaysian and Johorian private and public actors and which can lead to an internal transformation of the states involved in the process.

How can states ensure access to personal assistance when service delivery is decentralized? A multi-level analysis of Iceland, Norway and Sweden

Article 19 of the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities requires states to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to a range of support services, including personal assistance. The Convention is an agreement between state parties and the UN. However, in practice, disability services are often implemented at the local level. Drawing on the findings of qualitative research in Iceland, Norway and Sweden, this paper examines a paradox whereby states commit to ensure access to support services, but decentralize responsibility to autonomous and independent local governments. A multi-level governance framework is applied to analyse the findings of qualitative inquiry with policy-makers, local government officials and leaders of independent living organizations in all three Nordic countries. A multi-level analysis highlights the tensions and contradictions between decentralization and human rights commitments.

Conceptualizing the EU in Traditional Legal Research: How to Deal with Differentiated Integration after Pringle?

Following a period of increasing internationalization and globalization how should traditional legal scholars and students of EU law approach the process of European integration from a methodological perspective? This essay, located in the cross field between theory- building and legal practice, identifies a preliminary answer to this particular question by refining the legal dimension of Multi-level governance (MLG). This framework was originally introduced in political science by Gary Marks et al. in the early 1990’s to describe, and not explain, the functioning of the EU. In order to bridge the inherent gap between academic disciplines the article constructs a theoretical space along three axes (i.e. sovereignty, decision- making and arenas) where the EU is understood as both a political system and a legal system. Based on a comparative method, the paper then applies the MLG framework to a hard legal case, namely the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) that has given rise to a number of constitutional and substantive law issues addressed by the CJEU in C-370/12, Pringle. This includes the uneasy relationship between the ESM and the No-bail out clause in art. 125 TFEU. On this basis, it is concluded that MLG not only describes some factual characteristics of the EU but also provides a particularly useful analytic tool when confronted with differentiated integration in legal research.

Regional implementation of Multi-level Governance Type I – the European Cohesion Policy

The process of European integration has been promoting subnational mobilization activities in both federal and centralized states. The regions’ activities in Brussels have been pushing forward research on the subnational level. From the conceptual work on multi-level governance as the continuous negotiation taking place at different levels of governments that are nested at different territorial levels, their presence in Brussels has offered regions the possibility to become actors in different constellations. Regions are increasingly acknowledged as political spaces and as active actors within European policies, such as the case of Saxony-Anhalt. The paper deals with the active mobilization of Saxony-Anhalt within the multi-level governance framework of the EU with regard to the development of the European Cohesion policy.

Low Carbon Urban Transitioning in Shenzhen: A Multi-Level Environmental Governance Perspective

As the world’s second largest economy, China ranks among the world’s top nations when it comes to carbon emission. Accordingly, its attitude towards climate change is closely followed by all parties concerned. There have been few studies on the role of environmental governance in the transformation process to low-carbon, especially Chinese ones. This study analyzes the impact of government environmental regulation on the low-carbon city transformation process by adopting Shenzhen as the research object. One of the world’s youngest super cities, Shenzhen also happens to be the city with the lowest carbon emission intensity in China. The multi-level governance framework is a useful mechanism with which to gauge divisions of responsibility and resources. This paper uses multilevel environmental governance to explain the policy for dealing with the climate in the city of Shenzhen. Striving to explore green low-carbon development path for the whole country, Shenzhen provides practical experience for countries to cope with global climate change.

Who Owns the Local Policy Agenda? A Study about the Effect of Supralocal Institutions on the Local Policy Process

Local governments have increased the number of policy domains in which they are willing to work. Most of the explanations to the changes on the local agenda have been justified by elements postulated at a local level. Few studies recognize the multilevel nature that shapes local policy agendas through institutional mechanisms exerted by supra-local entities. This paper explores the nature of federalism as a type of regime that is conducive for a multilevel governance. It is characterized by the struggle and competition between government levels that pushes forward policy items into the local governments’ policy agendas extending its original scope far beyond the boundaries established by the constitution. The present investigation seeks to explain how local policy agendas are shape. The main argument is that local policy agendas are subjects to various institutional mechanisms from the higher levels of government, federal and state governments, and therefore local policy agendas are not only dependent on local aspects and local actors. To provide an empirical test, this work uses a fixed effects econometric model. The obtained results partially support the hypothesis. The research concludes that legal frames, financial transfers and political parties are effective supra-local level institutions that in a way, shape the local policy agendas. Finally, the article displays the complexity of policymaking process in a multilevel governance framework, exposing the conflict and competition between the different levels of government.

The durability of European Regional Development Fund partnership and governance structures: a case study of the Scottish Highlands and Islands

This paper explores the ways in which European Union Regional Policy, particularly the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), operates in a multi-level governance framework in which stakeholders at sub-national, national and European levels work together in partnership to deliver the European funding. Focusing upon the case of the Highlands and Islands region of Scotland, the paper analyses the ways in which partnership and governance structures have evolved over successive ERDF programming periods between 2000–2006 and 2007–2013. In particular, the paper illustrates the ways in which the Highlands and Islands’ ERDF governance structures were built upon a ‘broad’ and ‘deep’ level of partnership amongst key stakeholders, especially in the 2000–2006 programme. For various reasons, including a significant reduction in its ERDF funding allocation, the level of partnership working was streamlined during the 2007–2013 programme. Importantly, however, the durability of the governance structures has been maintained.

An ‘Economics’ Window on an Interdisciplinary Crisis

The euro area crisis cannot be understood without combining insights from a variety of disciplines — economics and political science first and foremost. This introduction aims at explaining how the essays in this collection map onto a number of important debates in political science. We sketch four well-known areas for the political science community: the framework for multilevel governance, the role of ideas in policymaking, the interaction between power politics and distributive bargaining, and the challenge of popular legitimation. These critical themes in the current crisis are important areas of overlap in economic and political analysis. Hence, the aim of this introduction is to show how these themes emerge in the essays that follow.

Assessing the Potential Effects of the European Union Multilevel Approach to the Coexistence Policy

European Union (EU) coexistence policy is based on the principle of subsidiarity, which implies a multilevel governance framework. Different legislative approaches have been developed in EU Member States. These legal rules are oriented to both preventing on-farm adventitious admixture (ex-ante regulations) and reducing potential economic consequences (ex-post liability). So coexistence deals with a subject of negative externalities involving an issue of property-right allocation between farmers. Considering the impacts that coexistence policy has on GM (genetically modified) crop adoption rates and the generation of trade distortions, potential effects of the EU coexistence framework are reviewed from a theoretical property-right allocation view. Derived from the analysis, property-right allocation is focused on non-GM farmers according to EU regulation enforcement, which tends to rigid coexistence measures. Nonetheless, the multilevel EU framework has led Member States to pursue their aims: trade interests and social legitimation.

Economic transformation of mining cities in transition economies: lessons from Daqing, Northeast China

All mining cities need to address the problems associated with resource depletion. However, there are crucial differences between mining cities in transition economies and those in market economies. Through a case study from Daqing, which is also known as the oil capital of China, this article sheds light on how mining cities in transition economies transform economically in anticipation of the eventual decline in mining prosperity. With rich empirical evidence gathered through extensive fieldwork, this article argues that mining cities in transition economies are faced not only with problems stemming from the boom-and-bust economic cycles of the dominant mining industry and the inevitable exhaustion of resources, but also with issues associated with the legacy of planned economies. Therefore, the transformation of mining cities in transition economies is often situated in a multi-level governance framework. In contrast, the transformation of mining cities in market economies is mainly a local process in ...

Climate adaptation at what scale? Multi-level governance, resilience, and coproduction in Saint Louis, Senegal

This paper utilizes a multi-level governance framework to explain how and at what scale climate adaptation, exemplified by flood risk management, was governed in the medium-scale city of Saint Louis, Senegal. It explores how this policy sector worked toward a “resilient city” pointing to gaps between governance as prescribed and as practiced. The paper suggests that strong coordination of climate change adaptation and flood risk management should take place at city level, reflecting the “place-based” character of these policy sectors. However, adaptation cannot be addressed successfully at any single geographic scale or by any one category of actor. Effective collaboration across politico-administrative boundaries at multiple scales is required in order to address tensions between competing policy agendas and tackle socio-spatial inequality and vulnerability. We found that public officials at the city and regional state level encouraged some degree of citizen participation in planning and input into adaptation. However, despite emerging networks for city-level coordination and capacity to adapt to flood risks among local residents, there were limitations in how higher-level government and institutions supported the lower levels in vertical and horizontal coordination. In particular, services and investments within poor and vulnerable settlements were lacking. This undermined the capability of municipal staff for local engagement and for diverse groups of residents to become really effective partners with the government in coproducing services required to enhance resilience. More so, it limited opportunities to bring local actions to scale—beyond the city boundaries and toward transitional adaptation and transformation.

Towards people-centred health systems: a multi-level framework for analysing primary health care governance in low- and middle-income countries.

Although there is evidence that non-government health system actors can individually or collectively develop practical strategies to address primary health care (PHC) challenges in the community, existing frameworks for analysing health system governance largely focus on the role of governments, and do not sufficiently account for the broad range of contribution to PHC governance. This is important because of the tendency for weak governments in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We present a multi-level governance framework for use as a thinking guide in analysing PHC governance in LMICs. This framework has previously been used to analyse the governance of common-pool resources such as community fisheries and irrigation systems. We apply the framework to PHC because, like common-pool resources, PHC facilities in LMICs tend to be commonly owned by the community such that individual and collective action is often required to avoid the ‘tragedy of the commons’—destruction and degradation of the resource resulting from lack of concern for its continuous supply. In the multi-level framework, PHC governance is conceptualized at three levels, depending on who influences the supply and demand of PHC services in a community and how: operational governance (individuals and providers within the local health market), collective governance (community coalitions) and constitutional governance (governments at different levels and other distant but influential actors). Using the example of PHC governance in Nigeria, we illustrate how the multi-level governance framework offers a people-centred lens on the governance of PHC in LMICs, with a focus on relations among health system actors within and between levels of governance. We demonstrate the potential impact of health system actors functioning at different levels of governance on PHC delivery, and how governance failure at one level can be assuaged by governance at another level.

Managing European Union Structural Funds: Using a Multilevel Governance Framework to Examine the Application of the Partnership Principle at the Project Level

Potluka O. and Liddle J. Managing European Union Structural Funds: using a multilevel governance framework to examine the application of the partnership principle at the project level, Regional Studies. Multilevel governance is utilized within the context of European Union Cohesion Policy on the relationship between partnerships at the programme and the project level in the Czech Republic. The main research question is: Does the partnership principle improve the implementation of public policies? The research builds on data from the monitoring system of European Structural Fund (ESF) assistance, a questionnaire survey and structured interviews with ESF beneficiaries. The case examined adds to the understanding of the wider debate on the effectiveness and management of European Union Cohesion Policy by highlighting the key components of partnership and adding value to overall performance.

Cities and Sustainability

Polycentric theory, as applied to sustainability policy adoption, contends that municipalities will act independently to provide public services that protect the environment. Our multilevel regression analysis of survey responses from 1,497 municipalities across the United States challenges that notion. We find that internal drivers of municipal action are insufficient. Lower policy adoption is explained by capacity constraints. More policy making occurs in states with a multilevel governance framework supportive of local sustainability action. Contrary to Fischel’s homevoter hypothesis, we find large cities and rural areas show higher levels of adoption than suburbs (possibly due to free riding within a metropolitan region).

Authority in Arctic governance: changing spheres of authority in Greenlandic offshore oil and gas developments

The Arctic has rapidly transformed from a “frozen desert” into a theater for high-level politics. Climate change and socioeconomic interdependencies bring the World more and more to the Arctic and vice versa. Increased geological knowledge, new technologies, and high-energy prices make it possible to develop oil and gas resources in the Arctic; however, the effectiveness of oil spill response techniques remains a key concern. To understand oil and gas exploration in the Arctic governance setting, and especially the authority of Greenland, we combine a multi-level governance framework with the concept sphere of authority from post-international theory. The Arctic sphere of authority on oil and gas consists of many different governance arrangements, of which the most well-known governance arrangement is the Arctic Council. This paper focuses on the authority of Greenland in the changing oil and gas governance arrangements in the Arctic. Crucial is the changing Danish–Greenlandic relationship, in which the development of a Greenlandic oil and gas sector is seen as a tool to become financially independent. It can be concluded that the capacity of the Greenlandic government and civil society actors should be the primary guideline for the pace in which oil and gas activities are being developed. Taking this approach will ensure that the Greenland is retaining its central position and high degree of influence on the governance of oil and gas development in its country. Otherwise, it will lose influence and benefits will flow elsewhere.

A Struggle of Multi-level Governance: Promoting Renewable Energy in Indonesia

A shift towards renewable energy is a complex, multi-dimensional policy goal that involves national and subnational actors within a multi-level governance system – especially in heavily decentralized countries like Indonesia. This leads to the following research question: How does the multi-level governance framework in a decentralized country like Indonesia affect efforts for a transition towards renewable energy? The country serves as a case study due to its highly decentralized political system. This qualitative research is especially based on interviews with relevant national and subnational stakeholders. Transition management is used as a theoretical framework. This paper concludes that weak local capacity, a lack of awareness for national intentions on subnational levels and vice versa as well as missing consultation during policy formulation are major obstacles for renewables support in Indonesia.

Metagovernance and Control of Multi-level Governance Frameworks: The Case of the EU Structural Funds Financial Execution

Using as an empirical base the 2006–08 reform of the European Union Structural Funds financial execution, this paper explores control mechanisms of multi-level governance frameworks. The empirical evidence provides a representative case of initial metagovernance deficit and the subsequent, relatively successful, institutional response reinforcing metagovernance. The purpose is to clarify the conceptual dimensions of metagovernance, setting it in a categorical scheme that identifies forms of exercise of political power: government, governance and multi-level governance. Specifically, the paper argues for a conceptualization of metagovernance that highlights a sense of sovereignty by which governmental entities vested with legal legitimacy advance public interests.