The fragmentation of climate change adaptation – the Sweden case
Wörlund Rylenius, Tomas and Hamza, Mo LU
(2024)
In International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment
15(4).
p.497-515
- Abstract
Purpose: This paper aims to challenge the view of Sweden’s climate leadership by problematizing its domestic climate adaptation governance and highlighting the need for a more holistic view of adaptation. The paper highlights aspects that are troublesome for not only the built environment along coastlines but also the future of Sweden’s standing as a climate leader. The paper concludes with recommendations addressing the key areas of climate adaptation fragmentation in Sweden and calls for a more holistic view of adaptation, and one that takes into account resources, collaboration and coherence of governance vision. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is a comprehensive analysis of internal governance processes in climate change... (More)
Purpose: This paper aims to challenge the view of Sweden’s climate leadership by problematizing its domestic climate adaptation governance and highlighting the need for a more holistic view of adaptation. The paper highlights aspects that are troublesome for not only the built environment along coastlines but also the future of Sweden’s standing as a climate leader. The paper concludes with recommendations addressing the key areas of climate adaptation fragmentation in Sweden and calls for a more holistic view of adaptation, and one that takes into account resources, collaboration and coherence of governance vision. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is a comprehensive analysis of internal governance processes in climate change adaptation. It is based on an extensive literature review and semi-structured interviews at the local level – i.e. municipalities – who have the primary responsibility for adaptation to climate change in Sweden. Findings: Findings point to three-fold concerns. First, there is a lack of clarity on roles and responsibilities in adaptation among municipalities, regions and governmental agencies. Second, the gap between available finance and actual needs for climate change adaptation presents a major challenge when channels and pathways are not clear either. Finally, some adaptation strategies on both the local and national scales may be maladaptive in the long term. Originality/value: Sweden consistently ranks highly in different climate performance indices and has acquired an international reputation as a climate leader. The paper challenges this narrative. Through a closer look the paper’s findings reveal a more fragmented picture of climate adaptation governance in the country with a myriad of unresolved questions and ad hoc solutions, where adaptation challenges are more pronounced and manifest in the built environment along the coastlines.
(Less)
- author
- Wörlund Rylenius, Tomas
and Hamza, Mo
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Adaptation, Climate change, Governance, Sweden
- in
- International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment
- volume
- 15
- issue
- 4
- pages
- 497 - 515
- publisher
- Emerald Group Publishing Limited
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85191259207
- ISSN
- 1759-5908
- DOI
- 10.1108/IJDRBE-02-2023-0042
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 8859fbc7-d61a-44b6-8e7d-358485c2098a
- date added to LUP
- 2024-05-07 14:30:35
- date last changed
- 2025-10-14 11:54:00
@article{8859fbc7-d61a-44b6-8e7d-358485c2098a,
abstract = {{<p>Purpose: This paper aims to challenge the view of Sweden’s climate leadership by problematizing its domestic climate adaptation governance and highlighting the need for a more holistic view of adaptation. The paper highlights aspects that are troublesome for not only the built environment along coastlines but also the future of Sweden’s standing as a climate leader. The paper concludes with recommendations addressing the key areas of climate adaptation fragmentation in Sweden and calls for a more holistic view of adaptation, and one that takes into account resources, collaboration and coherence of governance vision. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is a comprehensive analysis of internal governance processes in climate change adaptation. It is based on an extensive literature review and semi-structured interviews at the local level – i.e. municipalities – who have the primary responsibility for adaptation to climate change in Sweden. Findings: Findings point to three-fold concerns. First, there is a lack of clarity on roles and responsibilities in adaptation among municipalities, regions and governmental agencies. Second, the gap between available finance and actual needs for climate change adaptation presents a major challenge when channels and pathways are not clear either. Finally, some adaptation strategies on both the local and national scales may be maladaptive in the long term. Originality/value: Sweden consistently ranks highly in different climate performance indices and has acquired an international reputation as a climate leader. The paper challenges this narrative. Through a closer look the paper’s findings reveal a more fragmented picture of climate adaptation governance in the country with a myriad of unresolved questions and ad hoc solutions, where adaptation challenges are more pronounced and manifest in the built environment along the coastlines.</p>}},
author = {{Wörlund Rylenius, Tomas and Hamza, Mo}},
issn = {{1759-5908}},
keywords = {{Adaptation; Climate change; Governance; Sweden}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{4}},
pages = {{497--515}},
publisher = {{Emerald Group Publishing Limited}},
series = {{International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment}},
title = {{The fragmentation of climate change adaptation – the Sweden case}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJDRBE-02-2023-0042}},
doi = {{10.1108/IJDRBE-02-2023-0042}},
volume = {{15}},
year = {{2024}},
}