Sorting through complexity: a scoping review of climate governance typologies

Abstract

Since the early 2000s, scholars have used the term ‘climate governance’ as shorthand to refer to the dizzying array of arrangements among state and non-state actors involved with realizing the common goal of mitigating and adapting to global climate change. The proliferation of networks spanning from hyper-local, grassroots efforts to global climate conferences has prompted scholars to introduce different approaches to classifying, comparing and analysing these arrangements into typologies. To date, we have not found empirical work that has integrated and described this collective work. This article responds to this gap by synthesizing the literature on climate governance network typologies. We identified 44 articles through scoping review methodology, searching four databases (Environment Index, PAIS International, Scopus and Web of Science Core Collection) spanning all years up to August 27th, 2024. We find a diverse, yet cumulative corpus of conceptual and empirical work exists that can accommodate the wide spectrum of actors, styles, rules, scales and authorities that are bearing down on the challenges of climate change today. While some typologies are specifically designed to analyze particular networks (e.g., transnational municipal partnerships), sub-sectors (such as water management), or climate challenges (like adaptation), others offer adaptable frameworks applicable to any collaborative initiative addressing climate change, regardless of its focus or structure. This work aims to support advancements in climate governance research, theory, and praxis. Despite some methodological shortcomings, we find that this body of literature can support impactful policymaking and research in the realm of climate governance.