Building Great Lakes Resiliency to Eutrophication: Lessons to inform adaptive governance of the nearshore areas of the Laurentian Great Lakes.

Annex 2 of the Great Lakes Water Quality Protocol calls for the collaborative development of a ‘nearshore framework’, but does not provide guidance with respect to nearshore governance. This thesis bridges this gap with a series of studies on the determinants for adaptive governance that will inform implementation of the Great Lakes Water Quality Protocol 2012. The principal focus of this work is on eutrophication, which is essentially a nearshore issue. The methodology includes a comprehensive literature review and 35 key informant interviews using a standardized questionnaire. The results assess Great Lakes governance, examine the strengths of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Protocol 2012 and evaluate the effectiveness of the International Joint Commission. A major product of the research is the development of a framework for assessing adaptive capacity based on six determinants: public participation, science, networks, leadership, flexibility and resources. The framework is validated in the case study of eutrophication in Lake Erie and used to identify gaps in adaptive capacity for current eutrophication governance of Lake Erie. The framework was then tested on two additional case studies, the Chesapeake Bay and the Baltic Sea Region. These systems are both eutrophic and are similar in many other ways to the Great Lakes. This allowed exploration of issues of scale, from local (Chesapeake Bay) to binational (the Great lakes) to transnational (the Baltic Sea). The most important finding of this work is that the key barrier for building adaptive capacity for eutrophication governance in the Great Lakes is the lack of adequate leadership and resources. A key recommendation is therefore that the IJC be strengthened in its role to function as a collaborative leader to foster adaptive capacity. The findings from this research can inform the implementation of the Great Lakes Water Quality Protocol 2012.ThesisDoctor of Philosophy (PhD

An Assessment of the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) Using the OECD Principles on Water Governance

This paper uses the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) water governance principles to assess the governance of the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP), with a focus on the eutrophication segment. Whilst governance assessments can be used as auditing functions, this study was done with the goal of stimulating reflection, in order to investigate whether the governance systems have made any improvements. This is especially needed, since the BSAP is to be renewed in 2021, so that any assessment of it at this moment is timely. This review has focused on the 12 principles of water governance and the three complementary drivers into which the principles are grouped: Effectiveness, efficiency and trust, and engagement. This paper focuses on national implementation actions. It uses qualitative thematic analysis to analyze the content of the national implementation plans for Baltic Sea Coastal countries. It identifies gaps in water governance and makes recommendations for enhancing effectiveness, efficiency and trust, and engagement in the governance of the Baltic Sea, including improved stakeholder participation, the establishment of a permanent lead agency for the implementation of BSAP, increased funding for implementation actions, and a better governance of trade-offs.</jats:p

Stakeholder Engagement for Inclusive Climate Governance: The Case of the City of Turku

The city of Turku is located in southwest Finland, in Northern Europe. Founded in 1229, it is the country’s oldest city. It is situated around the Aura River, which flows into the Baltic Sea, making it an ideal location for its 184,000 inhabitants and 20,000 enterprises. In June 2018, the city unveiled an ambitious climate plan to be carbon neutral by 2029. This plan was prepared according to the common model of the European Union (EU) (SECAP, Sustainable energy and climate action plan) with key milestones for years 2021, 2025, and 2029. It focuses on both adaptation and mitigation strategies with six measures outlined as necessary to meet the targets, two of which directly target citizen outreach and engagement. These two measures focus on mobilizing communities as partners in the climate plan and on raising awareness of climate change. Given its significance to the plan, this paper examines stakeholder engagement in the City of Turku’s climate policies from a governance perspective. It asks the question, how does stakeholder participation materialize in the City of Turku’s carbon neutral planning process? It aims to give a snapshot of baseline stakeholder participation in the city’s carbon neutral aspirations. It has found that whilst the plan contains ambitions for stakeholder participation, it is not fully implemented. It recommends a citizen facilitated public participation steering group that aims to inspire citizens towards taking action and engaging in the decision-making process for a carbon neutral 2029.</jats:p

Active Learning as a Means to Promote Education for Sustainable Development in the Classroom: A Case Study of Implementation in the Course “Multilevel Governance”

The world is increasing in complexity and challenged by serious problems such as climate change, which have no easy solutions and involve stakeholders with competing values. Higher education has an integral role to play in navigating society through these daunting challenges. Educating the next generation of scholars and change agents through the framework of sustainable development clears a path for balancing environmental, societal and economic realities. Education for sustainable development must equip students with critical and “out of the box” thinking skills to develop innovative solutions to these problems. Whilst it is recognized that there is a need to develop pedagogical approaches for sustainability in education, there is a gap in the literature on pedagogical practices that promote education for sustainable development in the classroom. This study aims to bridge this gap by examining active learning as a means of promoting education for sustainable development. More specifically, it examines the use of active learning techniques in the course “Multilevel Governance” as a means of promoting education for sustainable development in the classroom. This article recommends that active learning techniques, such as group discussions, group assignments, Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) talks, are critical to engaging students in the classroom on sustainability issues

Barriers to Effective Eutrophication Governance: A Comparison of the Baltic Sea and North American Great Lakes

The Baltic Sea and the North American Great Lakes are two transboundary watersheds that are at risk from similar environmental stressors including nutrient enrichment, hydrologic modifications, chemicals of emerging concern, and the overarching stressor of climate change. Although located in different geographical regions of the world, both watersheds are governed in a multilevel governance setting with many layers of decision makers including global, national, governmental, regional, municipal, and community levels. Despite governance innovations, such as the Helsinki Convention in 1974 and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement in 1972 and their updated versions, both transboundary waters are under increasing stress from eutrophication. There are provisions in both the Helsinki Convention and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement for nutrient abatement measures, yet algal blooms abound in both waters, especially after precipitation events. This paper looks at the governance processes in both transboundary ecosystems, with the aim of highlighting governance barriers to eutrophication mitigation using four analytical lenses. A comparison of the two systems and the governance barriers shows that similar and unique challenges are faced in both regions, and the choice of analytical lens affects the perception of barriers and implementation actions. This is useful for policymakers in planning intervention strategies to tackle the stressor of nutrient enrichment in both regions

Stakeholder Engagement for Inclusive Climate Governance: The Case of the City of Turku

The city of Turku is located in southwest Finland, in Northern Europe. Founded in 1229, it is the country&rsquo;s oldest city. It is situated around the Aura River, which flows into the Baltic Sea, making it an ideal location for its 184,000 inhabitants and 20,000 enterprises. In June 2018, the city unveiled an ambitious climate plan to be carbon neutral by 2029. This plan was prepared according to the common model of the European Union (EU) (SECAP, Sustainable energy and climate action plan) with key milestones for years 2021, 2025, and 2029. It focuses on both adaptation and mitigation strategies with six measures outlined as necessary to meet the targets, two of which directly target citizen outreach and engagement. These two measures focus on mobilizing communities as partners in the climate plan and on raising awareness of climate change. Given its significance to the plan, this paper examines stakeholder engagement in the City of Turku&rsquo;s climate policies from a governance perspective. It asks the question, how does stakeholder participation materialize in the City of Turku&rsquo;s carbon neutral planning process? It aims to give a snapshot of baseline stakeholder participation in the city&rsquo;s carbon neutral aspirations. It has found that whilst the plan contains ambitions for stakeholder participation, it is not fully implemented. It recommends a citizen facilitated public participation steering group that aims to inspire citizens towards taking action and engaging in the decision-making process for a carbon neutral 2029

The Role of Transnational Municipal Networks in Transboundary Water Governance

The transboundary nature of stressors impacting shared water bodies has been traditionally recognized in agreements between nation states. Several developments have led to new layers of cross border environmental actors, including regional and city level interactions. This proliferation of non-state actors is witnessed in two large water bodies, the Baltic Sea and the North American Great Lakes. In both regions, transboundary water governance was led by nation states in agreements to improve heavily contaminated waters, the Helsinki Convention (1974) and the North American Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (1972), respectively. Whilst there has been much research on transnational regional networks, especially in Europe, there has been less theoretical work done on transnational municipal transboundary water networks due to the delay of recognition of the legitimacy of these local government actors. This paper aims to examine the role of the transnational municipal networks in transboundary water governance by looking at the case studies of the Union of Baltic cities in the Baltic Sea region and the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative in the North American Great Lakes Basin. It does this by assessing the role of these transnational municipal networks in bridging water governance gaps in these regions

An Assessment of the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) Using the OECD Principles on Water Governance

This paper uses the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) water governance principles to assess the governance of the implementation of the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP), with a focus on the eutrophication segment. Whilst governance assessments can be used as auditing functions, this study was done with the goal of stimulating reflection, in order to investigate whether the governance systems have made any improvements. This is especially needed, since the BSAP is to be renewed in 2021, so that any assessment of it at this moment is timely. This review has focused on the 12 principles of water governance and the three complementary drivers into which the principles are grouped: Effectiveness, efficiency and trust, and engagement. This paper focuses on national implementation actions. It uses qualitative thematic analysis to analyze the content of the national implementation plans for Baltic Sea Coastal countries. It identifies gaps in water governance and makes recommendations for enhancing effectiveness, efficiency and trust, and engagement in the governance of the Baltic Sea, including improved stakeholder participation, the establishment of a permanent lead agency for the implementation of BSAP, increased funding for implementation actions, and a better governance of trade-offs

Experimentalist Governance to Foster Cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region: A Focus on the Turku Process

The Baltic Sea is one of the most severely polluted water bodies on earth, with stressors resulting from anthropogenic pressures of 85 million inhabitants in nine coastal countries. All are members of the European Union (EU) with the exception of Russia. This exception poses challenges for governing the Sea, as Russia is excluded as a member country from EU Baltic Sea governing policies, such as the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR). This added complexity has led to the emergence of new forms of cooperation to include Russia in the governing process. One such initiative is the Turku process, an initiative by the cities of Turku (Finland), Hamburg (Germany), and St. Petersburg (Russia) to promote cooperation, especially with Russian partners. Since its emergence in 2010, there has been no study of it in the literature. This study aims to bridge this gap by analyzing the history and evolution of the Turku process under the lens of experimentalist governance. It aims to illustrate the experimentalist governance perspective through the Turku process and to present the theoretical foundations of the concept. It does the former through key informant interviews with main actors in the Turku Process and the latter with the help of the literature on experimentalist governance. This study adds to the dialogue on governance in an especially challenging time when the Ukraine crisis has negatively impacted EU&ndash;Russia relations