Learning in participatory environmental governance – its antecedents and effects. Findings from a case survey meta-analysis (2019)

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Type of Content
Journal ArticlePublisher
Informa UK LimitedISSN
1522-72001522-7200
Language
EnglishCollections
- Science: Journal Articles [1113]
Abstract
Theory on participatory and collaborative governance maintains that learning is essential to achieve good environmental outcomes. Empirical research has mostly produced individual case studies, and reliable evidence on both antecedents and environmental outcomes of learning remains sparse. Given conceptual ambiguities in the literature, we define governance-related learning in a threefold way: learning as deliberation; as knowledge- and capacity-building; and as informing environmental outputs. We develop nine propositions that explain learning through factors characterizing governance process and context, and three propositions explaining environmental outcomes of learning. We test these propositions drawing on the ‘SCAPE’ database of 307 published case studies of environmental decision-making, using multiple regression models. Results show that learning in all three modes is explained to some extent by a combination of process- and context-related factors. Most factors matter for learning, but with stark differences across the three modes of learning, thus demonstrating the relevance of this differentiated approach. Learning modes build on one another: Deliberation is seen to explain both capacity building and informed outputs, while informed outputs are also explained by capacity building. Contrary to our expectations, none of the learning variables was found to significantly affect environmental outcomes when considered alongside the process- and context-related variables
Citation
Newig J, Jager NW, Kochskämper E, Challies E (2019). Learning in participatory environmental governance – its antecedents and effects. Findings from a case survey meta-analysis. Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning.This citation is automatically generated and may be unreliable. Use as a guide only.
Keywords
participatory governance; collaborative governance; sustainability governance; knowledge exchange; multiple regression; case survey methodANZSRC Fields of Research
05 - Environmental Sciences::0502 - Environmental Science and Management::050205 - Environmental Management44 - Human society::4407 - Policy and administration::440704 - Environment policy
41 - Environmental sciences::4104 - Environmental management::410403 - Environmental education and extension
Rights
© 2019 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.Related items
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