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Theorizing conditions and incentives that lead actors to develop resilient management strategies in complex environmental governance settings

Fried, Harrison S
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1624637510912642

Abstract Details

2021, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Environment and Natural Resources.
Modern environmental problems pose unique management challenges since they are usually interdependent in myriad, complex ways. Climate change is the ultimate example of a problem that forces environmental managers to confront highly interdependent challenges, such as invasive species, rising temperatures, and habitat loss. A growing area of interest in understanding complex, polycentric governance systems has been to analyze the engagement of stakeholders in policy issues and the participation of stakeholders in policy forums. In this thesis, I focus on climate change adaptation governance in Ohio, USA as a model study system to evaluate conditions and incentives that drive actors to manage for interdependent issues or to participate in forums in ways that are collectively beneficial. To answer questions about actor management strategies in complex, polycentric governance arrangements, I analyze climate change governance as a three-mode network of interrelations among actors, forums, and policy issues related to climate change adaption in Ohio. I draw upon the Ecology of Games Theory (EGT) and an Institutional Fitness framework to formulate hypotheses that uncover the conditions, incentive structures, and attributes that prompt actors to engage with issues and participate in forums in ways that promote adaptive capacity. Chapter 2 tests whether actors are likely to simultaneously manage environmental policy issues that are highly interdependent (such as nutrient management and water quality, which are connected through the process of eutrophication). Then, Chapter 3 tests for how different types of theorized closure structures (i.e., unique situations of actor benefits) – lead actors to participate in decision-making forums. To tackle the questions at hand, both chapters utilize Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs), which is a tool for inferential network analysis. The results indicate that actors are more likely to manage for pairs of interdependent policy issues when they are more strongly interdependent and are highly popular among the public. Interestingly, the results also suggest that the simultaneous management of interdependent issues is associated with issues for which there has been more progress. Furthermore, the results show that the incentive structures that guide forum participation do not necessarily promote optimal governance arrangements or optimal environmental outcomes. Together, these findings advance theoretical understanding of institutional fitness and resilience in social-ecological systems by revealing how actors navigate highly interdependent environmental governance settings. Additionally, I highlight the benefits of examining complexity in polycentric governance systems through the more nuanced approach allowed by the analysis of three-mode networks.
Ramiro Berardo, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Matthew Hamilton, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Jeremy Brooks, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
122 p.
Environmental Management; Environmental Studies; Natural Resource Management
social-ecological systems; network analysis; climate change adaptation; social-ecological networks; environmental governance; institutional fitness; ecology of games theory

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Fried, H. S. (2021). Theorizing conditions and incentives that lead actors to develop resilient management strategies in complex environmental governance settings [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1624637510912642

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Fried, Harrison. Theorizing conditions and incentives that lead actors to develop resilient management strategies in complex environmental governance settings. 2021. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1624637510912642.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Fried, Harrison. "Theorizing conditions and incentives that lead actors to develop resilient management strategies in complex environmental governance settings." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1624637510912642

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1624637510912642
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