Shadow Spaces for Social Learning: A Relational Understanding of Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change within Organisations

TLDR

UK climate policy and the UNFCCC emphasize building adaptive capacity. The study examines how institutional constraints shape organisations’ ability to adapt to abrupt climate change. The authors combine social learning theory with institutional governance concepts, illustrated through empirical work with a local dairy farmers group and two public sector bodies. Creating space for private and official social relationships within and between local organisations facilitates social learning and serves as a low‑cost adaptation resource, though it requires rethinking incentivised skills and routines.

Abstract

Recent UK government policy on climate change, and wider policy movement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, emphasise the building of adaptive capacity. But what are the institutional constraints that shape capacity to build adaptive organisations? The authors synthesise theory from social learning and institutional aspects of multilevel environmental governance to help unpack the patterns of individual and collective action within organisations that can enhance or restrict organisational adaptive capacity in the face of abrupt climate change. Theoretical synthesis is grounded by empirical work with a local dairy farmers group and two supporting public sector bodies that are both local actors in their own rights and which also shape the operating environment for other local actors (the Environment Agency and the Welsh Assembly and Assembly-sponsored public bodies). Providing space within and between local organisations for individuals to develop private as well as officially sanctioned social relationships is supported as a pathway to enable social learning. It is also a resource for adaptation that requires little financial investment but does call for a rethinking of the personal skills and working routines that are incentivised within organisations.