Multistakeholder Partnerships and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: Sources and Audiences of Self-legitimation in the Fields of Health and Climate

Abstract

The spread of global multistakeholder partnerships (MSPs) for the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development has generated significant expectations on policy synergies and transformative governance. This article contributes to the study of the current generation of MSPs by focusing on the self-legitimation attempts that MSPs undertake to justify their authority. We compare the self-legitimation claims of an MSP operating within the climate policy field (the Climate and Clean Air Coalition) to those of an MSP active in the health policy field (Universal Health Coverage 2030). Through an analysis of policy documents, meeting observations, and interviews, we identify how the audiences and key sources of self-legitimation differ between policy fields. We suggest complementary explanatory factors for these differences at the policy field level, the institutional level, and the level of global norms. We show that current MSP self-legitimation mirrors governance challenges stemming from all three levels, particularly with regard to vague mandates, limited resources, and accountability.