Bridges and Barriers to Adaptive Capacity - Climate Change and Water Governance: Adaptive Capacity in Chile and Switzerland - page 219

lower levels of governance to take on the more resilience based approach of higher
levels of governance. For instance the 'Mehrleistungen in Bereich Schutzbauten:
integrales Risikomanagement' (Additional services in protective structures: inte-
grated risk-management) programme from federal environmental office, promotes
sustainability and integrated risk management in large projects related to protec-
tive measures against forest and water hazards, by providing more funds if multiple
criteria (environmental) are integrated and shown to have been implemented
5 years later. Notably, the inclusion of non-state actors in the legislation process is
seen as helping to shape and incentivise the uptake of more innovative approaches
at the federal and cantonal levels.
Stakeholders across both case areas, though predominantly at regional and federal
or national levels, cited the importance of research networks and knowledge part-
nerships in developing their understanding of the challenges and solutions to cli-
mate change impacts. In the Swiss case, these took the form of cross level
partnerships, between federal and cantonal agencies that linked with federal univer-
sities and research institutes to develop predictive modelling that might inform
adaptation and planning decisions. Monitoring partnerships, such as MINERVE and
CERISE, co-ordinate information and interpret data concerning extreme events for
emergency crisis groups at the canton and commune level.
Regional stakeholders also indicated the strength of support networks across
sub-canton and commune levels, particularly for training and the discussion of new
challenges on the horizon. One example, that is not directly related to water governance,
but does have a relation to climate impacts on the mountain biosphere and linked
economy is the integration project in the region of Leukerbad (Upper Valais) known
as the 'Vernetzungprojekt nach Oekoqualitätsverordnung' (Interconnected project
on Ecological Quality Provision). Organisations such as the 'Landwirtschaftzentrum'
(Agricultural Centre), play a coordinating role in these projects across all three sec-
tions of the canton ( Oberwallis, Mittelwallis, Unterwallis ), where they foster a
direct relationship with the communes and are responsible for assisting with infor-
mation and advice for farmers at the local level, thus building understanding and
capacity to deal with novel challenges. Monitoring projects, such as inventories of
the 'Trockenweisen' (Dry Meadows), and integration projects on ecological zones
(i.e. projects on the 'steppeflache' supported by the canton and federal government)
are also recognised as being a potential opportunity to sensitise farmers about
drought, scarcity, and ecological resilience. Lastly, Valais Tourism also plays a role
in the development of a body of expertise on climate change adaptation, commis-
sioning a scenario analysis of development paths for tourism in the canton in col-
laboration with Institute Gottlieb Duttweiler (Girschik et al. 2007 ) .
In Chile, research partnerships were not as predominant a factor as in the Swiss
case, but their importance for developing understanding and capacity for problem
resolution was noted across all levels of governance. At the national level, interna-
tional research networks, predominantly with the World Bank and UN-ECLAC,
have played a role in developing capacity and learning about the benefits and
challenges in the Chilean market approach. Government stakeholders referred to a
number of studies with legal experts from leading Chilean universities and other