Policy network analysis on enacting process on the Climate Change Act in the UK: Through the Application of Social Network Analysis

Abstract

Since the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 and its ratification in 2005, many countries have created various climate change policies to cope with Green House Gas (GHG) emissions reduction. However, no country has established the legal framework for emission reduction with target in the long-term. Nevertheless, the United Kingdom (UK) established the Climate Change Act in 2008 and set out a CO2 emissions reduction target by 2050. UK has set up a five-yearly carbon budget to meet the reduction target. Also, UK has organized the Committee on Climate Change, which provides scientific and political advice and recommendations to the UK government as an independent body. This research answers the following question, Which factors have impacted the UK to establish the Climate Change Act? For this study, the Policy Network Analysis and Social Network Analysis (SNA) have been used. The entire policy making process on establishment of climate change act in the UK is divided into three periods, which are identified as period of policy-suggestion, period of policy-discussion, and period of policy-legislation. For the source of SNA, articles from newspaper and broadcast are extracted. Through these research methods and data analysis, this study examines important actors, interaction, linkage structure, and change of policy network patterns and examines the process of change in line with these factors. Based on the analysis, the most important actors turn out to be the government, the parliament and the Friends of the Earth (Non-governmental organization). The government agreed with the act but it did not put a strong stance on it. The Parliament including the Conservative party and the Liberal Democrat party supported the bill strongly and the civil society including the Friends of the Earth also played an important role in the policy making process on the enactment of climate change bill. In terms of interaction, the first coalition was formed within the civil society and the parliament respectively, and then second coalition was formed between the civil society and the parliament. Then they pressured government together. This coalition was not that strong in last period but the coalition of civil society consistently pushed the government with initiative led by the Friends of the Earth. Regarding linkage structure, openness and vertical were observed and pattern of policy network was issue network in the whole period of the policy making process. Additionally, release of the report based on economic and scientific evidence was the one of the factors that influenced to policy making process. From this study, it is evident that the enactment of law against climate change and the bond of sympathy across various sectors are important. Secondly, the role of the civil society is critical. Thirdly, economic support and scientific evidence are essential elements in this process. Lastly, the formation of coalition in pursuing the common goal is the key factor in the policy making process.