Regional policy capacity for environmental governance
Institutional dynamics in Brazil’s subnational context
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 17830545 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Vanessa Elias De Oliveira (0000-0001-8916-4981, Universidade Federal do ABC), K Frey (0000-0002-7564-1764, Universidade Federal do ABC), Ana L Mafra Salla (Universidade Federal do ABC), Marcio Anderson Kontopp (Universidade Federal do ABC) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 1-14 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-08 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Public Administration and Policy (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2517-679X • E-ISSN: 1727-2645 |
| Publisher | Emerald Publishing Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1108/pap-01-2025-0009 |
| OpenAlex | W7152006563 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 15 |
Purpose This paper examines the concept of “regional policy capacity” in multilevel governance. Two questions are addressed: First, what conditions allowed the institutionalization of regional governance in a constitutional order that lacks institutionalized mechanisms of coordination? Second, under which conditions do such governance arrangements build regional policy capacity? Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on qualitative analysis of two critical cases of regional environmental governance in Sao Paulo, Brazil: the Intermunicipal Consortium of the ABC region, and the Piracicaba-Capivari-Jundiaí River Basin Committee (CBH-PCJ). Findings The cases demonstrate that regional governance is a prerequisite for managing subnational problems that cross municipal boundaries. It can be successfully implemented through both bottom-up and top-down initiatives. Under conditions of limited statehood, the effectiveness of these capacities depends on a robust institutional design, binding collective objectives, and the ability to mobilize capacities across different institutional levels for regional problem-solving. Originality/value The paper advances the concept of regional policy capacity, addressing a gap in the literature and enriching the policy capacity framework for understanding the conditions for effective regional decision-making
Corporate governance · Institutionalisation · Multi-level governance · Polycentricity · Regional development · Regional Policy · Environmental Sustainability and Education · Policy Transfer and Learning · Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
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| Highly cited | No |
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