1
Return

Governing environmental complexity: Exploring coherence across EU climate and biodiversity strategies

delete2026-07-26
delete0
delete
OA
AI
A
Anna Berg Grimstad *
N
Naghmeh Nasiritousi
J
Jayne Glass
M
Mikael Karlsson
DOI:10.1007/s13280-026-02449-0delete
deleteOriginal
deleteOriginal request for help
deleteShare
deleteSave
Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Climate change and biodiversity loss are intertwined challenges, yet governance responses are poorly coordinated. This incoherence risks policy inefficiency while reinforcing environmental degradation and social inequalities. This article introduces an analytical framework for analysing strategy coherence, defined as the extent to which a strategy is compatible with other strategies. Centring on the functions of strategies as governing tools, the framework dissects their premise, prescription, and politics. This enables identification of elements that generate synergies or conflicts and points of friction to address. We apply the framework to the EU’s Climate Target Plan and Biodiversity Strategy to examine how they address interdependencies between climatic systems, ecological processes, and communities. The analysis shows that apparent goal synergies mask tensions rooted in divergent prescriptions and political priorities, with important implications for policymaking and practice. The article contributes to conceptual knowledge on strategy coherence and empirical knowledge on EU climate and biodiversity strategies.
Keywords:
Biodiversity
Climate change
Coherence
European Green Deal
Strategies
Synergies

Journal

AMBIO cover
AMBIO
IF:
5.1
Papers:
3.2K
Citations:
1.3W

Organization

D
department of thematic studies
Scholars:
2
Papers: 1
Citations: 0
D
Department of Earth Sciences
Scholars:
569
Papers: 300
Citations: 0
Cited Papers

Cited Papers

Citing Papers

Citing Papers