From silos to joined-up government? Examining national climate policy integration in Ethiopia

Climate change is a serious policy problem that seeks coordinated actions at many levels and throughout various policy subsystems. This study was conducted to examine the progress in the national Climate Policy Integration (CPI) process and barriers in Ethiopia. The empirical analysis unpacks existing and emerging cross-sectoral governance structures since the Climate Resilience Green Economy (CRGE) was adopted in 2011. The CPI analysis is pertinent given that coordinating policy subsystems is highly uncertain as challenges exist in reforming silo institutional cultures and policy monopolies. The study approached CPI as a process determined by policy framing, climate goals, policy instrument mix, and subsystem involvement. Methodologically, the study was conducted as a qualitative case study. Empirical data were collected from content analysis of policy documents and eighteen semi-structured interviews with purposefully selected key informants. The result from empirical analysis reveals progress toward CPI guided by a cross-sectoral policy frame, the inclusion of climate goals based on economic co-benefits, and deploying an incremental mix of policy instruments. Nonetheless, the long-term CPI process is hindered by the unstable governing structures, particularly the frequent restructuring of the environmental ministry and lack of adequate climate finance which all reinstate sectoral silos and path dependence. Long-term coordination of cross-sectoral climate policy integration tends to be precarious.Climate policy integration requires a stable cross-sectoral governance structure and clear sectoral mandates.The presence of pressing economic development priorities prohibits policymakers from pursuing a principled priority for climate policy goals.Coordinated information sharing among policy actors could augment policy integration and tackle duplications and inconsistencies. Long-term coordination of cross-sectoral climate policy integration tends to be precarious. Climate policy integration requires a stable cross-sectoral governance structure and clear sectoral mandates. The presence of pressing economic development priorities prohibits policymakers from pursuing a principled priority for climate policy goals. Coordinated information sharing among policy actors could augment policy integration and tackle duplications and inconsistencies.