Final Report Summary - G-FORS (Governance for Sustainability)
The objective of G-FORS is to develop an innovative analytical model for the study of governance for sustainability with a particular emphasis on how knowledge was drawn upon and utilised in practice in the so called knowledge society. These issues are of vital importance for policies addressing the environment and sustainability where levels of uncertainty and disagreements over how to formulate and implement policy are particularly high.
The G-FORS team developed this analytical model, focusing on the synergy between new governance modes and different forms of knowledge, taking into account the rapid changes in the knowledge society. For this purpose, GFORS identified a range of different forms of knowledge and analyse how they may interact in the context of particular governance arrangements to produce 'reflexive knowledge' and contribute to a more legitimate understanding of sustainability. Point of reference is 'the problem of ignorance': taking decisions against a background of risk. This was and still is especially crucial for environment and sustainability policies. From this point G-FORS team investigated the interplay of governance arrangements and knowledge and analyse the problem solving capacities of specific arrangements / arenas. The G-FORS team identified the three areas: emissions trade, air quality management/particulate matter and strategic environmental assessment, and their implementation at local level. These areas have been chosen because they involve different governance modes in a multi-level context that illustrate the positive interactions and potential tensions between certain governance arrangements, different forms of knowledge and sustainable development. Benchmark indicators have been identified that can appraise the effectiveness of current political, economic, administrative and organisational processes and institutional settings in developing economically, socially and environmentally sustainable policies.
Proceeding from the empirical research, the research team assessed how the engagement of a range of actors in new multi-level governance arrangements can be activated to tackle any future threats of democratic deficit and to promote participation and sustainable development. In particular, G-FORS demonstrated the key economic, social and political roles of sub-national actors. The first year of the project mainly addressed the elaboration of the new conceptual frame and its preparation for the application. This fusion of concepts on governance arrangements and knowledge scenarios will be analysed by discourse analysis as a primary methodological tool.
The crucial insight of the conceptual discussion was a different understanding of policy outcomes. Based on discussion about the impact of knowledge on problem construction and solving, policy outcomes are understood as aggregated effects of governance and knowledge in the context of sustainability. Sustainability is more about experience-based learning processes on causal assumptions, while institutional change and the generation of new knowledge are more concerned with causes and effects. Policies developed to promote sustainability are partial and ineffective unless they effectively incorporate a range of knowledge forms.
In general terms we found that the three dimensions of sustainability - consistency, comprehensiveness and aggregation - were hard to reconcile. Inevitably there were trade-offs between the three dimensions which often resulted in the dominance of one dimension or a degree of policy incoherence. As we noted the national and sub-national governance structures within which these policy instruments were implemented placed limits on the extent that other relevant policies / activities could be taken into account and other actors involved. This is a 'structural problem' that affects all policy fields seeking to develop an integrated approach; there is an inevitable dilemma - when developing and implementing a policy should we seek to include all relevant factors/aspects or only those over which we can exercise some form of control?
The G-FORS consortium has set a number of working principles for dissemination (intellectual process, long-term process, dual purpose, democratic process, flexible process, broad coverage). In the first phase of the project, the strategy focused particularly on gathering intelligence on target audiences and developing a stakeholder database as well as creating a website for the project. In addition, the consortium ensured that phase 1 deliverables are widely disseminated including the 'Decision-makers handbook' and through other related projects such as URBAN MATRIX, EUKN and COST C20. Hence, all reports and workshop proceedings and findings have been made available either immediately on the website or have been published. The start of production of web and paper based reports and workshop will help support the dissemination of good practice across Europe in relation to governance for sustainable governance. The identification of a database of stakeholders and target audiences ensured greater visibility of the research findings in the latter part of the project and beyond; The setting up of a regular newsletter, in addition, should ensure that new research findings were regularly disseminated throughout the project life of web and paper based reports and workshop. The identification of a database of stakeholders and target audiences aimed to ensure greater visibility of the research findings in the latter part of the project and beyond; The setting up of a regular newsletter should ensure that new research findings are regularly disseminated throughout the project life.
The G-FORS team developed this analytical model, focusing on the synergy between new governance modes and different forms of knowledge, taking into account the rapid changes in the knowledge society. For this purpose, GFORS identified a range of different forms of knowledge and analyse how they may interact in the context of particular governance arrangements to produce 'reflexive knowledge' and contribute to a more legitimate understanding of sustainability. Point of reference is 'the problem of ignorance': taking decisions against a background of risk. This was and still is especially crucial for environment and sustainability policies. From this point G-FORS team investigated the interplay of governance arrangements and knowledge and analyse the problem solving capacities of specific arrangements / arenas. The G-FORS team identified the three areas: emissions trade, air quality management/particulate matter and strategic environmental assessment, and their implementation at local level. These areas have been chosen because they involve different governance modes in a multi-level context that illustrate the positive interactions and potential tensions between certain governance arrangements, different forms of knowledge and sustainable development. Benchmark indicators have been identified that can appraise the effectiveness of current political, economic, administrative and organisational processes and institutional settings in developing economically, socially and environmentally sustainable policies.
Proceeding from the empirical research, the research team assessed how the engagement of a range of actors in new multi-level governance arrangements can be activated to tackle any future threats of democratic deficit and to promote participation and sustainable development. In particular, G-FORS demonstrated the key economic, social and political roles of sub-national actors. The first year of the project mainly addressed the elaboration of the new conceptual frame and its preparation for the application. This fusion of concepts on governance arrangements and knowledge scenarios will be analysed by discourse analysis as a primary methodological tool.
The crucial insight of the conceptual discussion was a different understanding of policy outcomes. Based on discussion about the impact of knowledge on problem construction and solving, policy outcomes are understood as aggregated effects of governance and knowledge in the context of sustainability. Sustainability is more about experience-based learning processes on causal assumptions, while institutional change and the generation of new knowledge are more concerned with causes and effects. Policies developed to promote sustainability are partial and ineffective unless they effectively incorporate a range of knowledge forms.
In general terms we found that the three dimensions of sustainability - consistency, comprehensiveness and aggregation - were hard to reconcile. Inevitably there were trade-offs between the three dimensions which often resulted in the dominance of one dimension or a degree of policy incoherence. As we noted the national and sub-national governance structures within which these policy instruments were implemented placed limits on the extent that other relevant policies / activities could be taken into account and other actors involved. This is a 'structural problem' that affects all policy fields seeking to develop an integrated approach; there is an inevitable dilemma - when developing and implementing a policy should we seek to include all relevant factors/aspects or only those over which we can exercise some form of control?
The G-FORS consortium has set a number of working principles for dissemination (intellectual process, long-term process, dual purpose, democratic process, flexible process, broad coverage). In the first phase of the project, the strategy focused particularly on gathering intelligence on target audiences and developing a stakeholder database as well as creating a website for the project. In addition, the consortium ensured that phase 1 deliverables are widely disseminated including the 'Decision-makers handbook' and through other related projects such as URBAN MATRIX, EUKN and COST C20. Hence, all reports and workshop proceedings and findings have been made available either immediately on the website or have been published. The start of production of web and paper based reports and workshop will help support the dissemination of good practice across Europe in relation to governance for sustainable governance. The identification of a database of stakeholders and target audiences ensured greater visibility of the research findings in the latter part of the project and beyond; The setting up of a regular newsletter, in addition, should ensure that new research findings were regularly disseminated throughout the project life of web and paper based reports and workshop. The identification of a database of stakeholders and target audiences aimed to ensure greater visibility of the research findings in the latter part of the project and beyond; The setting up of a regular newsletter should ensure that new research findings are regularly disseminated throughout the project life.
