Multi-level networks in Sub-Saharan Africa: addressing the climate-poverty governance gap

Climate change poses a formidable challenge to poverty reduction efforts in Sub-Saharan Africa, where vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected by the adverse impacts of a changing climate. Addressing climate change in the region has an environmental imperative, while being a crucial component of comprehensive strategies aimed at uplifting communities from further inequality and building resilience in the face of a rapidly changing climate. At the same time, poverty reduction efforts not aligned with climate actions threaten to worsen environmental degradation. Yet an integrated approach towards connecting the two issue areas has been missing, and the siloed approaches that states tend to govern through fall short. Consequently, research has increasingly turned towards the role of multi-stakeholder networks in governing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in an integrated manner. However, there is limited evidence about the potential of these networks to connect actions for the joint achievement of SDG13 on Climate Action and SDG1 on No Poverty. Specifically, there is a gap in accounting for their connecting role in the Sub-Saharan African setting. To this end, we examine multi-level networks of stakeholders in Sub-Saharan Africa by focusing on so-called multi-stakeholder partnerships that combine actors from the public, private and civil society sectors across national borders. The aim is to illustrate whether and how existing networks of stakeholders in the region contribute towards closing the current governance gap in connecting the two issue areas. Thus, the paper aims to explore the points of connection between partnerships’ climate and poverty actions that link the two global agendas. We posit the following research question: to what extent do multi-stakeholder networks connect the global climate-poverty agendas in Sub-Saharan Africa and which functions do they fulfil? We answer the research question by utilizing a novel dataset of close to two hundred multi-stakeholder partnerships, which we analyse in three steps. First, mapping the partnerships’ (1) geographical scope, (2) type of partners, and (3) functions. Second, using network analysis to illustrate the relationship between the different partnerships. Third, assessing the connective potential based on a set of criteria developed based on previous literature. The contribution of this paper primarily responds to the need for further empirical research on the dynamics of existing climate policy networks across Sub-Saharan Africa. Our results contribute to filling the scholarly gap in two ways. First, by demonstrating which types of stakeholders that are prominent within the networks. Second, by explaining what functions they aim to fill and how far these contribute to filling governance gaps. Building on the results, we draw conclusions about the potential of the current combination of partnerships and stakeholders in the region. The findings indicate that multi-stakeholder networks are active in the region, but their integrative potential is limited in connecting climate and poverty efforts. Our contribution presents a steppingstone for future research on climate action by Sub-Saharan African multi-stakeholder networks that facilitates poverty reduction.