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Engaging stakeholders in an adaptation process: governance and institutional arrangements in heat-health policy development in Adelaide, Australia

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Abstract

Record breaking heat waves have been recorded in Adelaide, Australia in recent years and climate change would likely increase the frequency, duration and severity of heat waves. This paper describes the governance and institutional arrangements during the development of an adaptation strategy (herein referred to as heat-health policy) for heat waves in Adelaide, Australia. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted between June and August 2011 among 18 stakeholders who were involved in the participatory process during the development of the heat-health policy. Informed consent was obtained and interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and the data analysed using framework analysis. Interview data were supplemented by data gathered through a review of documents associated with the process. The results found that the process of developing the heat-health policy was initiated by the state government and comprised of stakeholders from both the state and non-state sectors. There was a high level of leadership and political commitment demonstrated during the process, given that the different players wanted a policy to be in place before any future heat wave. A Steering Committee was established that provided coordination and oversight in addition to the Emergency Management Act within the state which provided the legislative framework during the heat-health policy development process. Although the decision-making authority was controlled by a controlled by a public institution, to a larger extent, there was collaborative decision-making by virtue of the context in which the heat-health policy was developed. An assurance mechanism established during the process was among the factors that ensured accountability during the participatory process. Overall, the development of the heat-health policy in Adelaide was largely successful, attributed to the extent of political commitment from the state government and the sound institutional and legislative framework that facilitated the process. Good governance and institutional arrangements provide the enabling environment, the structures, systems and resources that would facilitate the development of adaptation strategies such as heat-health policies.

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Notes

  1. The adaptation strategy for heat waves developed in Adelaide was known as the Extreme Heat Arrangements, which for the purpose of this paper is referred to as the heat-health policy.

  2. By “participatory adaptation process” we mean a participatory process designed to develop an adaptation strategy. This is to distinguish it from other forms of participatory processes which don’t deal with adaptation.

  3. The quotations use the following conventions. Ellipsis points (. . .) indicate materials that were deleted in order to de-identify the quotes. The symbol [Pause] indicates a short pause in speech, while [X], [Y], or [Z] represents a de-identified stakeholder agency which was involved in the process.

  4. State functional services are a group of related organisations which are brought together to deliver results during an emergency; they are usually led by a government controller. There are 13 state functional services within the emergency management arrangements in South Australia.

  5. We refer to decision-making as “adaptation decision-making” because they were decisions made during the design of an adaptation strategy.

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Acknowledgements

This study is part of an overarching research project entitled “Climate Change and Population Health: Adaptation and Coping Strategies to Extreme Heat (Events) in a Temperate Australian City. The project was funded by a research scholarship from the University of Adelaide, South Australia with financial support from the Climate Adaptation Flagship of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia. Lastly, we would like to thank all the stakeholders who committed their time to participate in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Discipline of Public Health, School of Population Health and Clinical Practice, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia

    Derick A. Akompab, Peng Bi & Susan Williams

  2. School of Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia

    Arthur Saniotis

  3. Climate Adaptation Flagship, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Perth, Australia

    Iain A. Walker

  4. School of Psychology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia

    Martha Augoustinos

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  1. Derick A. Akompab
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  2. Peng Bi
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  3. Susan Williams
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Correspondence to Peng Bi.

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Akompab, D.A., Bi, P., Williams, S. et al. Engaging stakeholders in an adaptation process: governance and institutional arrangements in heat-health policy development in Adelaide, Australia. Mitig Adapt Strateg Glob Change 18, 1001–1018 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-012-9404-4

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