Topic
Institutional dependencies in climate adaptation of transport infrastructures: an Institutional Network Analysis approach

This seminar explains how the Institutional Network Analysis (INA) approach is applied to climate adaptation efforts of transport infrastructures surrounding the Port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. INA, built on the Institutional Grammar, is a systematic network approach to (1) visualize institutional dependencies, (2) identify points of concern in the institutional landscape such as conflicts and voids, and (3) provide quantitative insights into the centrality of actors, embeddedness of institutional outcomes, and dependencies between institutions. The network-based analysis reveals a conflict in the use of risk assessment criteria, as parties in the Port may follow their own matrices in the presence of a shared decision-making framework. Nonetheless, the network metric analysis reveals that the criteria, whether shared or individual, build on the same source of risk analysis, suggesting that this duality may not be detrimental for climate adaptation efforts. Additionally, financial responsibilities in locations where infrastructures overlap face an institutional void making it difficult to recover in case of disaster. Finally, the network metrics show high dependency between institutions in the risk dialogue phase and reveal the centrality of infrastructure owners ProRail and RWS in the institutional landscape instead of local or regional governmental bodies.

[Note: The beginning of the seminar recording was cut-off due to an administrative oversight. We apologize to the presenters and our audience for any inconvenience this may cause.]