Exploring governance learning: How policymakers draw on evidence, experience and intuition in designing participatory flood risk planning. Issue 55 (January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Newig, Jens; Kochskämper, Elisa; Challies, Edward; Jager, Nicolas W.
• Is Part Of: Environmental science & policy. Issue 55:Part 2(2016:Jan.)
• Page Start: 353
• Page End: 360
• Publication Date: 2016-01
• Subjects: Evidence-based governance -- Policy experimentation -- Policy learning -- Policy design -- Flood risk management -- EU Floods Directive; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Environnement -- Politique gouvernementale -- Périodiques; Sciences de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Environmental policy; Environmental sciences; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.70561
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2015.07.020
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1462-9011

Abstract

Highlights: We develop a governance learning typology by sources of learning and learning modes. We focus on policymakers' learning about conducting participatory planning. Governance learning in German flood risk management (FRM) planning is examined. State-level policymakers tend to rely on past experience and serial learning. There is scope for more coordinated learning about participatory FRM planning. Abstract: The importance of designing suitable participatory governance processes is generally acknowledged. However, less emphasis has been put on how decision-makers design such processes, and how they learn about doing so. While the policy learning literature has tended to focus on the substance of policy, little research is available on learning about the design of governance. Here, we explore different approaches to learning among German policymakers engaged in implementing the European Floods Directive. We draw on official planning documents and expert interviews with state-level policymakers to focus on learning about the procedural aspects of designing and conducting participatory flood risk management planning. Drawing on the policy learning and evidence-based governance literatures, we conceptualise six types of instrumental 'governance learning' according to sources of learning (endogenous and exogenous) and modes of learning (serial and parallel). We empirically apply this typology in the context of diverse participatory flood risk management planning processes currently unfolding across the German federal states. We find that during the first Floods Directive planning cycle, policymakers have tended to rely on prior experience in their own federal states with planning under the Water Framework Directive to inform the design and carrying out of participatory processes. In contrast, policymakers only sporadically look to experiences from other jurisdictions as a deliberate learning strategy. We argue that there is scope for more coordinated and systematic learning on designing effective governance, and that the latter might benefit from more openness to experimentation and learning on the part of policymakers.