The Role of Public Administration in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation

Liljelund presents that climate change is related to the structure of human society and its relation to the environment. In this statement, politics is highly related to climate change. Climate Change is a public concern and therefore must be addressed by the public, particularly its largest institution, the government. By far, the government is the country’s largest organizations; encompassing and has the monopoly of legitimate violence to compel the public to follow its policies. The government has the strongest political power to introduce radical change needed in mitigating and adapting to climate change. Public policy process in itself is a mechanism for bridging the gap of research and public policy. There mere fact that it is brought to the table is an opportunity to inform stakeholders, and for the stakeholders to form their opinion. Upon the approval of the policy, the congress, who has the power of the purse, allocates resources for CCAM. It may also create a particular organization to implement and monitor efforts for CCAM. The public policy, in response to the market failure, therefore has the power to compel or offer incentives to the market to comply with the targets of CCAM.

Climate Change is a pressing problem in the Philippines. Being an archipelago composed of small islands in the Pacific Ocean, the country is one of the most affected by climate change. However, our country is one of the poorest in the international arena. It has been a trend for developing countries such as the Philippines to have little or no commitment to CCAM. There is a gap between scientific research and the government policies. Public Policy will define the country’s commitments to the international community. Being one of the countries at high risk from the effects of climate change, creating a public policy will also put our voice in the international arena. It can be a venue to put pressure on non-compliant countries to adhere to a global policy for CCAM.

Public policy is crucial for all nations at this point in time. Public policy for climate change adaptation and mitigation can shape the future of not only a nation but of the whole planet.

References:

1. Meadowcroft, James (2009). “Climate Change Governance.” World Bank Policy Policy Research Working Paper No. 4941. [UVLE]

2. Video: Translating Climate Change Science into Public Policy