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Accountability in climate change governance and Caribbean SIDS

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Abstract

The good governance of institutions and regimes requires accountability suited to the particular context of each institution and regime. The paper examines the nature of accountability in climate change governance using the Caribbean region as a case study. In doing so, the paper makes two original contributions. First, using insights from the environmental governance literature, it presents a conceptual framework that categorises the types (levels, relationships and mechanisms) of accountability in governance that can be used to test accountability. The accountability framework comprises two levels (internal/external accountability); four relationships (normative, relational, decision and behavioural); and four mechanisms or processes through which accountability can be exercised (certification, monitoring, participation by stakeholders in the overseeing of projects and self-reporting). Second, through an analysis of survey and interview responses from Caribbean climate change experts, it reports on the nature of accountability in climate change governance in the context of Caribbean Small Island Developing States. To do this, first it identifies the actors involved in Caribbean climate governance at the regional and national scales. Then, using the framework, it examines which levels, relationships and processes exist within and between climate governance regional institutions, international partners, government agencies, non-governmental organisations and the private sector for climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts. The paper draws two main conclusions: first, generally actors valued accountability as a good governance norm. Secondly, limited resources and the perception that using the accountability mechanisms will retard policy implementation led to low levels of accountability in practice. Finally, the study examined how accountability can be enhanced in the climate change sector by ensuring that each of the elements of the framework is operationalised for both state and non-state climate change projects.

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Notes

  1. The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States is a political organisation and economic union and an important subset of Caribbean States comprising Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines with associate members Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands. These smaller Caribbean Islands have a strong degree of functional cooperation on legal, financial, economic, social and environmental affairs through the OECS Authority, Council of Ministers, the OECS Assembly, Economic Affairs Council, the OECS Commission, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Civil Aviation Authority and Central Bank.

  2. They include the Caribbean Public Health Agency; the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute; the Caribbean Development Bank, and the Caribbean Water and Waste Water Association; the Caribbean Meteorological Organisation; the Caribbean Tourism Organisation; the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the UN, Inter-American Development Bank; Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture; International Labour Organisation; UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean; United Nations Development Programme; the United Nations Information Centre; the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute; Intasave-Caribsave Group; Council of Presidents of the Environment; Papa Bois Conservation and Environment Tobago.

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  1. Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies and Institute of International Relations, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago

    Michelle Scobie

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  1. Michelle Scobie
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Correspondence to Michelle Scobie.

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Scobie, M. Accountability in climate change governance and Caribbean SIDS. Environ Dev Sustain 20, 769–787 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-017-9909-9

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