Why do we need cross-sectoral boundary solutions?

HELLEN DAWO: Most systems in nature are organised in parts. Let’s take, for example, a tree. The parts of a tree are the roots, the stem, the branches, and the leaves. Each part has a function. If we zoom in, we find that the leaves are uniquely designed to manufacture food for the tree and to exchange gas with the atmosphere. Although these parts of the tree work separately, the tree needs each part in order to survive. Without the roots, no nutrients can be absorbed from the soil. Without the stem, the nutrients cannot get to the leaves and so on. Much in the same way, governments of countries are organised into sectors.

The sectors have different responsibilities, for example, a sector for agriculture, one for urban, development, and yet another for coastal management. These sectors work separately to ensure that the public is given services. However, often the responsibilities of the sectors in relation to climate adaptation overlap. Although governments are organised into sectors, the effects of climate change do not respect these sectoral boundaries. For example, floods that devastate cities cause economic, infrastructural, and social damage. This affects urban planning, finance, and cultural sectors all at the same time. This is why it is necessary to overcome traditional sector boundaries in order to achieve climate adaptation governance. However, it is easier said than done. There are ways in which sectoral boundaries can be crossed or reduced.

One way to do this is by involving stakeholders as participants, rather than as observers. Another way is to share the knowledge and experiences across sectors in order to develop new innovative strategies. For example, water engineers from the water sector could work together with city architects from the urban planning sector to adapt urban drainage systems. The third way is to provide occasions where stakeholders from different sectors can discuss synergies and trade-offs. The internet has provided a means by which these three approaches can be implemented if there is willingness to work together. It is now possible to accumulate large data sets from different sectors, develop scenarios based on this data, and jointly design solutions that benefit the sectors involved.

So this resembles the vessel system in the tree, which ensures that each connected part receives nutrition. The internet is an important tool that can be used to organise cooperation between sectors with minimum use of energy and achieve almost real-time response. To summarise, we know that traditional government is predominantly organised in sectors. However, challenges due to climate change often involve multiple stakeholders, need resources, and require innovative solutions. In cross-sectoral cooperation, multiple stakeholders have several opportunities, such as listening to different perspectives, pooling resources, such as money, expertise, and community contacts, and co-creating innovative solutions to complex climate change challenges.