2givrapd_policy_brief-multi-level-governance-e78ea9fd69ba051a.pdf

This policy brief from the Climate and Development Knowledge Network argues that climate change adaptation in the Caribbean is fundamentally a governance challenge requiring a multi-level approach. It advocates for the creation of networks and hybrid partnerships between state and non-state actors to bridge jurisdictional scales and sectors, using case studies from St. Lucia and Jamaica to illustrate how community-based organizations and public-private partnerships can enhance adaptive capacity.

• Climate change adaptation in the Caribbean is described as inherently a problem of governance because impacts vary across islands, coastlines, and communities, each possessing diverse capacities to respond. Effective management requires collaboration across multiple actors, jurisdictional levels, and sectors due to the complexity of the challenges.
• A multi-level governance approach is particularly critical for small and medium-sized communities that depend on climate-vulnerable service industries like tourism or resource sectors like fisheries. Such an approach focuses on developing hybrid partnerships and networks between governments (regional and national), NGOs, the private sector, and community-based perspectives to facilitate knowledge co-production and resource flows.
• In St. Lucia, the Soufriere Marine Management Area (SMMA) serves as an example of using a community-based organization and a multi-stakeholder board to create spaces for collaboration between community and government partners. However, the brief notes that the SMMA needs more institutional flexibility, a long-term planning approach that prioritizes climate change, and better coherence with terrestrial environmental management to address land-based risks like coral reef sedimentation.
• Jamaica provides examples of network-based governance, including the Climate Change Focal Point Network, which aims to coordinate adaptation strategies across government agencies and sectors. Additionally, a public-private partnership between the Division of Fisheries and the Sandals Foundation led to the creation of the Sandals Whitehouse Special Fishery Conservation Area (SFCA), a marine no-take area with shared monitoring and enforcement responsibilities.
• The document outlines four policy lessons for scaling out multi-level governance: empowering community-based organizations as bridge actors, facilitating long-term strategic planning involving the private sector, providing legislative and policy conditions that enable vertical and horizontal partnerships, and adopting a holistic perspective across climate-sensitive sectors.

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (n.d.). 2givrapd_policy_brief-multi-level-governance-e78ea9fd69ba051a.pdf. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2GIVRAPD_Policy_Brief-Multi-level-governance.pdf

Chicago

Climate and Development Knowledge Network. 2givrapd_policy_brief-multi-level-governance-e78ea9fd69ba051a.pdf. n.d. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2GIVRAPD_Policy_Brief-Multi-level-governance.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |title=2givrapd_policy_brief-multi-level-governance-e78ea9fd69ba051a.pdf |url=http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2GIVRAPD_Policy_Brief-Multi-level-governance.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetworknd2givrapdpolicybriefmultilevelgovernancee78ea9fd69ba051apdf, author = {{Climate and Development Knowledge Network}}, title = {{2givrapd\_policy\_brief-multi-level-governance-e78ea9fd69ba051a.pdf}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, url = {http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2GIVRAPD_Policy_Brief-Multi-level-governance.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }