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ECPR

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Just tap Share then “Add to Home Screen”

State-Reinforced Self-Governance and Institutional Change: The Evolution of the New York City Watersheds Governing Arrangement

Environmental Policy
Federalism
Governance
Institutions
Local Government
Mixed Methods
Policy Change

Abstract

DeCaro, et al (2017) posit four design principles, grounded in the IAD framework, that reflect key institutional features of the larger context that support the coordination and cooperation among participants (individuals, organizations, and governments) in polycentric systems. This paper focuses on a complex polycentric system in place for more than twenty years and examines how it has co-evolved with the larger institutional setting (i.e., state reinforced self-governance represented by the design principles). That is, the authority to devise governing arrangements and provide for collective benefits, accountability mechanisms, and revenues sources changed over time. How these changes affected the polycentric system, and especially its robustness to biophysical and social disturbances is examined. The empirical setting is the New York City Watersheds governing system that provides for safe drinking water for New York City and environmentally sensitive economic development for jurisdictions in the source watersheds. The governing system was devised by NYC and the watershed jurisdictions, drawing upon the authority, accountability mechanisms, and revenues made available by the state and federal governments. The design principles as well as the design of the polycentric system are empirically identified through the rules comprising the governing system coded according to the grammar of institutions, reports and meeting minutes that document the operation of the design principles and the performance of the polycentric system, and a survey of participants. Findings suggest that if the design principles extend the time horizons of the participants, cooperation is supported; furthermore the order in which the design principles are revised effect the evolution of the NYC watersheds governing arrangements. DeCaro, Chaffin, Schlager, Garmestani, and Ruhl. 2017. Legal and institutional foundations of adaptive environmental governance. Ecology and Society 22(1):32. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-09036-220132