Strategic experiments as an alternative to traditional policy development

Strategic experiments as an alternative to traditional policy development

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  Strategic experiments asan alternative to traditional policy development Annukka Berg Environmental Policy Centre/Climate Change Programme SYKE Pullaseminaari, 9th October 2013
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  The tradition ofpolicy development in Finland
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  Disappointments caused by broadpolicy programmes ● Implementation criticised ○ E.g. local climate programmes, Finland’s programmes on sustainable development and sustainable consumption and production… ○ A gap between the great challenge/vision and the few actions taken ● The key question: How to proceed when… ○ (structural) change would be needed BUT ○ there is little political will and resources? ● Strategic experimenting an alternative to vague programme work 3
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  Strategic experiments 4
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  Strategic experiments ● Localexperiments on low-carbon solutions widely applied ● Definition: 1) making something new and concrete that is 2) restricted in terms of time, space, scope and/or actors but that 3) has the potential of having wider societal relevance through various up-scaling mechanisms ● Some experimentalist localities (e.g. HINKU communities) have managed to make impressive cuts of CO2 emissions ● Need for their in-depth analysis ○ Capacity to contribute to systemic change? 5
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  Strategic experiments can referto… ● Governance experimentation ○ E.g. trials of laws or novel ways to govern ● Socio-technical experimentation as part of sustainability transitions ○ Development of innovations within protected niches ○ E.g. promotion of novel solar panels by special R&D support and public procurement arrangements ○ Also “grassroots innovations”, e.g. sahkoautot.com ● Living laboratories taking place at local level ○ E.g. the testing of a new intelligent heating system in an interested neighbourhood 6
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  Why to giveit a try? The potential and risks of experimenting 7
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  Hypothesis 1: Because actingis a powerful tool for individual change • actions -> attitudes vs. attitudes -> actions • The meaning of different sensations and feelings (vs. reading and thinking): personal experiencing a profoundly human way to gain information, learn and comprehend • The power of practices and non-reflexive behaviour 8
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  Hypothesis 2: Because leadingby example is a way to say you are serious about change • Strong communicative function • But also a way to gain personal experience 9
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  Hypothesis 3: Because makingsomething new together can have broader consequences • Learning, networking, the birth of new practices and symbolic embodiments of alternatives • Sparking grist and finding common ground • Up-scaling and broadening the influence 10
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  strategic experiments as agovernance approach - a research agenda 11
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  Possibilities of experiments ●The role of action for personal change in low-carbon transition processes ○ Does personal experience make difference? If so, how? ● The power of example in climate leadership on different levels and in varying contexts ○ The different pathways of personal example to bring about change ● Focus on experimenting as a broader societal/governance phenomenon ○ How strategic experiments materialize and challenge existing systems? 12
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  Challenges of experiments(1/2) ● Risk to bring about scattered and piecemeal results with little power for structural change. ○ Effectiveness of experimenting? ● Experimenting may require new skills and capacities that have not been required in traditional policy development ○ Are the people holding e.g. key public sector positions able to adapt? Will the adoption of this new tool require too much resources? How (cost-)efficient is it? ● What are legitimate, fair and equitable ways to govern the experiments themselves? ○ How to make experiments socially sustainable? 13
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  Challenges of experiments(2/2) ● Is the society ready to accept e.g. failures that are an inherent part of experimenting? ○ Will the failures be used for blaming or learning? ● When experimenting is the preferable way to govern/develop policies/promote (systemic) change? What are the who-what-where-andhow of experiments? ○ The limits of strategic experiments? 14
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  Thanks! Questions? Ideas? [email protected] 15