Compensation strategies to enact new governance frameworks for SDG transformations

There is an emerging consensus at international level that systemic transformations are needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Such transformations require paradigm shifts in policies, with appropriate governance frameworks to implement them. Fundamental transformations are like...

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Main Author: David Horan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institute of Public Finance 2019-12-01
Series:Public Sector Economics
Subjects:
Online Access: http://www.pse-journal.hr/upload/files/pse/2019/4/3.pdf
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author David Horan
author_facet David Horan
author_sort David Horan
collection DOAJ
description There is an emerging consensus at international level that systemic transformations are needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Such transformations require paradigm shifts in policies, with appropriate governance frameworks to implement them. Fundamental transformations are likely to generate winners and losers; the latter may act strategically to deter transformation. Most governance literature points at mutual gains negotiation methods to prevent the emergence of losers and create ‘win-win’ package deals. In this article a different - and less researched - approach will be discussed: (economic) compensation strategies. Drawing on the political economy literature of reform in transition economies, I propose three compensation strategies to buy out or weaken the opposition of strategic losers - big bang, optimal sequencing and divide-and-rule governance reforms - that can help to frame discussions around the political feasibility of new governance frameworks for SDG transformations. The paper suggests that careful consideration needs to be given to the design of these compensation packages, since history tells us that buying acceptance for reform can involve not just variation in economic outcomes, it can also have long-term political implications and distributional effects.
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spelling doaj.art-f29e0c5ebfa54e28aeb4fb3c4b28b2912022-12-22T00:43:21ZengInstitute of Public FinancePublic Sector Economics2459-88602019-12-0143437540010.3326/pse.43.4.34809Compensation strategies to enact new governance frameworks for SDG transformationsDavid Horan0 School of Politics and International Relations and the UCD Geary Institute for Public Policy, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Visiting Scholar, Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN Association), New York, USA There is an emerging consensus at international level that systemic transformations are needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Such transformations require paradigm shifts in policies, with appropriate governance frameworks to implement them. Fundamental transformations are likely to generate winners and losers; the latter may act strategically to deter transformation. Most governance literature points at mutual gains negotiation methods to prevent the emergence of losers and create ‘win-win’ package deals. In this article a different - and less researched - approach will be discussed: (economic) compensation strategies. Drawing on the political economy literature of reform in transition economies, I propose three compensation strategies to buy out or weaken the opposition of strategic losers - big bang, optimal sequencing and divide-and-rule governance reforms - that can help to frame discussions around the political feasibility of new governance frameworks for SDG transformations. The paper suggests that careful consideration needs to be given to the design of these compensation packages, since history tells us that buying acceptance for reform can involve not just variation in economic outcomes, it can also have long-term political implications and distributional effects. http://www.pse-journal.hr/upload/files/pse/2019/4/3.pdf sustainable development; governance reforms; political constraints; compensating transfers; energy decarbonisation; transition economies
spellingShingle David Horan
Compensation strategies to enact new governance frameworks for SDG transformations
Public Sector Economics
sustainable development; governance reforms; political constraints; compensating transfers; energy decarbonisation; transition economies
title Compensation strategies to enact new governance frameworks for SDG transformations
title_full Compensation strategies to enact new governance frameworks for SDG transformations
title_fullStr Compensation strategies to enact new governance frameworks for SDG transformations
title_full_unstemmed Compensation strategies to enact new governance frameworks for SDG transformations
title_short Compensation strategies to enact new governance frameworks for SDG transformations
title_sort compensation strategies to enact new governance frameworks for sdg transformations
topic sustainable development; governance reforms; political constraints; compensating transfers; energy decarbonisation; transition economies
url http://www.pse-journal.hr/upload/files/pse/2019/4/3.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT davidhoran compensationstrategiestoenactnewgovernanceframeworksforsdgtransformations