Our natural resources benefit society in many ways. Therefore, to achieve economic, social and environmental sustainability, management of natural resources must connect and consider multiple goals and issues. However, many existing policies for managing the environment are focused on achieving specific issues, such as protecting endangered species or reducing water pollution. These policies are delivered by a variety of 'instruments' - regulations, incentives and guidance - and it is unclear if and how these instruments interact.
In this project we focused on the challenge of understanding how existing policy instruments shape the management of natural resources, focusing especially on those instruments designed to influence biodiversity, soil and water. Countries such as Scotland have a complex policy and institutional landscape and it is important to understand how this affects the delivery of multiple benefits, before we consider if and how to introduce new instruments or adjustments.
Our initial phase of work (2016-7) used secondary data to make an indepth analysis of selected policy instruments in Scotland, in order to understand and explain their interactions and consequences. Later stages in 2017 supplemented this with feedback and discussion from stakeholders connected with the development and delivery of these instruments. This work is informed by academic concepts in environmental governance and policy analysis, on topics such as coordination, integration and institutional interplay.
Our second phase of work (2019-2022) focused on exploring if and how partnerships negotiate multiple objectives, initially focusing on catchment partnerships that aim to achieve multiple goals and later appraising the implications for other types of environmental partnerships. Building on our earlier work, we have a particular focus on exploring the role and consequences of private sector actors participate within these partnerships.
This project was funded by the Scottish Government RESAS Strategic Research Programme 2016-21, as part of its RD1.4.2 [1]. The second phase of work (2019+) was carried out in collaboration with RD1.2.4 [2]. For more information about this ongoing research contact Kirsty Blackstock (Kirsty.Blackstock@hutton.ac.uk [3]) or Kerry Waylen [4] (kerry.waylen@hutton.ac.uk [5]).
Links:
[1] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/srp2016-21/wp142-identifying-and-understanding-multiple-benefits-and-trade-offs
[2] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/projects/water-integration
[3] mailto:kirsty.blackstock@hutton.ac.uk?subject=Integration%20in%20water%20management
[4] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/staff/kerry-waylen
[5] mailto:kerry.waylen@hutton.ac.uk?subject=Integration%20in%20Water%20Management
[6] https://journals.librarypublishing.arizona.edu/jpe/article/id/3055/
[7] https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ddZbEAAAQBAJ&dq=Napier.+(ed.).+Degradation+of+Soil+and+Water+Resources:+Regional+Strategies+for+Assessing+and+Addressing+a+Lingering+Global+Issue.&source=gbs_navlinks_s
[8] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/projects/magic
[9] https://www.ippapublicpolicy.org//conference/icpp5/13
[10] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/research/srp2016-21/2021-07-01-IPPA-Waylen-et-al-AgencyConstraint.pdf
[11] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/Catchment Partnerships Briefing .pdf
[12] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/Exploring Catchment Partnerships briefing_ppt_KM_June21.pdf
[13] https://twenty65.ac.uk/annual-conference
[14] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/BlackstockPublicPrivatePartnerships.pdf
[15] https://virtualtours.hutton.ac.uk/governance/
[16] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/Catchment_YouTubeHD.mp4
[17] https://www.hnic.scot/world-water-day/create-world-water-day-blog-23
[18] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/21_03_05_Final_report_on_catchment_pships_(peer checked).pdf
[19] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/Catchment Partnerships_ELSEG_210125.pdf
[20] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/2021 01 25 ELSEG workshop report(1).pdf
[21] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/POLLEN-PshipsAndBureacraciesWaylenEtAl_Clean(1).pdf
[22] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/POLLEN_Blackstock et al_final.pdf
[23] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0264837719305253?via%3Dihub
[24] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/staff/paola-ovando-pol
[25] https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/110917.asp
[26] https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/110917.aspx
[27] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/blogs/reflecting-participation-citizens%E2%80%99-jury-scottish-parliament-idea-expertise
[28] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/staff/alba-ju%C3%A1rez-bourke
[29] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/2019 02 06-08 Leverage points conference_Leuphana.pdf
[30] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/research/srp2016-21/18_11_1_4_2_bi_D3Final_w_Cover.pdf
[31] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/srp2016-21/elpeg-ecosystems-and-land-use-policy-engagement-group
[32] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/Aligning%20Policy%20Instruments_final.pdf
[33] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/Aligning Policy Instruments_summary.pdf
[34] https://www.sefari.scot/research/governing-scotland’s-natural-resources-are-our-policies-sufficiently-joined-up
[35] https://www.sruc.ac.uk/landuseconf
[36] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/research/srp2016-21/Blackstock_Land%20Use%20Conference%20Edinburgh%20Nov%2018_final_uploaded.pdf
[37] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/Microsoft PowerPoint - Blackstock_policyintegration_ppt Compatibility Mode.pdf
[38] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/research/srp2016-21/Workshop_report-TransformingtheCultureofDecisions.pdf
[39] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/17_05_22_142_Overview.pdf
[40] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/17_05_22_Workshop slides.pdf
[41] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/17_05_23_workshop slides paula.pdf
[42] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/sites/default/files/files/research/srp2016-21/Environmental%20policy%20integration%20workshop%20final%20report.pdf
[43] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/staff/kirsty-blackstock