Policy Integration for Boundary-Spanning Policy Problems - Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Policy

Aug 27, 2026

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Draft paper analyzing climate-oriented policy implementation through “policy mixes” and their translation dynamics in the French West Indies banana chain (Guadeloupe). Using an empirical case study, it examines how climate change adaptation goals become reframed, scaled, and sometimes made invisible within multi-level governance and polycentric arrangements shaped by sector power. It evaluates how European and national instruments are appropriated via local policy coalitions, supporting agricultural strategies tied to banana plant diseases, soil fertility, and phytosanitary regulation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages21

Reading Time53 min

AccessFree to download

Policy Mixes and Climate Governance

Variables Shaping Translation of EU Policy

Empirical Case Study: French West Indies (Guadeloupe)

Instrument Appropriation Through Sectoral Arrangements

Mainstreaming Climate Concepts Into Local Policy

Implementation of Categories of Policy Mix as Indicator of Adaptation to Climate Change: Between Translation and Invisibilization of Climate Goals in French West Indies’s Banana Chain1 T14P10,T14P10 - Policy Integration for Boundary-Spanning Policy Problems: Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Policy Authors : Océane Biabiany (CIRAD, Toulouse School of Political Science), Gilles Massardier (CIRAD, University de Montpellier and UC Davis), Yves Montouroy (University of the AntillesCAGI/LC2S), Marie Hrabanski (CIRAD, University de Montpellier) Work in progress. Draft version. Do not cited. This paper enlightens the issue of climate-oriented policy, scales and means of their implementation, as well as their limitations (Howlett, 2004; Adelle and Russel, 2013) . Observing policy mixes between instruments and their reinterpretation during their “fluid” implementation (Flanagan, 2011), the paper shows that this process is dependent on four variables: multi-level governance and the complex process of translation of UE policy and rules (Giorgio & al. 2019), the specific polycentric governance style centered on powerful banana chain, the environmental agenda prioritized by local vulnerabilities, and the local arrangements build according to policy coalitions structures and relations. Based on empirical case study in French West Indies (Guadeloupe), the paper analyses the climate policy integration and urges greater consideration of the issue on the existence of so-called “new”climate policies, thus fueling debate on the potential emergence of a new climate-oriented public policy sector. Our discussions also foster analysis of the idea of mainstreaming international climate change governance concepts in national (Biesbroeck et al., 2010) and local (Wilbanks, 2003) policies and sectoral regulation. For instance, in Guadeloupe, our case study on climate policy integration sheds light on the banana sector to “capture”, or at least retrieve (European and national) instruments dedicated to the adaptation to climate change (ACC) in order to support their own agricultural and environmental agenda and strategy regarding banana plant diseases, soil fertility and new regulation regarding phytosanitary products. At the same time, this occurs while the ACC objectives have been largely excluded from climate policy integration in Guadeloupe, despite climate change prospective and the awaiting vulnerabilities regarding especially drought and hurricanes. 1 This paper is a first result of ARTIMIX research project ([https://www.artimix.fr/en](https://www.artimix.fr/en)), funded by French National Research Agency (Agence National de la Recherche, ANR) . The methodology is based on three main moment : first, an analysis of grey literature ad first wave of interviews concerning the ACC paradigme used in Guadeloupe (Smart Agriculture, agroecology, resilience…) and to understand the agenda setting of AACC ; second, a fine analysis of grey literature concerning policy ACC and AACC instruments implemented in Guadeloupe to describe and map them (see figure 1 and table n°1) ; third, a second wave of interwiews based on a grid that permit to rebuild the implementation stories of AACC policy mixes (see tables n° 2, 3, 4, 5) and, by data processing, to develop a network analysis of actors who implement AACC policy mixes. Then, we here demonstrate the ACC concept is hugely influenced by regional priorities that lead to the invisibility of climate change in the agenda setting. Indeed, adaptation to climate change does not appear as a priority in the local agenda but finds itself relegated behind other themes that monopolize the policy agenda, elected and state representatives attention (health, development, employment, land-use planning,) and it is once dealt with the other emergencies settled (sargassum pollution, running water facility,…) . Even more, despite the ACC policies are not set in the local policy agenda, their dedicated European and na

FAQs

What does the paper focus on regarding climate-oriented policy?

It focuses on how climate-oriented policy goals are implemented via “policy mixes” and how these mixes are scaled, translated, and limited in practice.

Which factors does the paper identify as shaping policy mix implementation?

It highlights multi-level governance and UE policy translation processes, a polycentric governance style centered on the banana chain, local vulnerability-driven environmental priorities, and local arrangements formed through policy coalition structures and relations.

How does the banana sector influence the visibility of climate change goals in Guadeloupe?

The adaptation agenda is often relegated behind other priorities, yet dedicated European and national instruments are still implemented. The sector uses “climatized” EU instruments to support its own agricultural and environmental strategy, including measures linked to the Sustainable Banana Plan.

Aug 27, 2026

Upload by Kyle