K. Nandhini, S. Gowri, 2025. "Public Administration Perspective on Policy Innovation in Climate Resilience" International Journal of Community Empowerment & Society Administration [IJCESA] Volume 2, Issue 2: 39-48.
The most critical and complex challenge of contemporary governance is climate change; public administration needs to develop creative responses to enhance ecological and societal adaptation. Climate Resilience The capacity of ecosystems, institutions and communities to anticipate, absorb, accommodate or recover from the effects of a hazardous event in a timely and efficient manner. Climate threats are dynamic, interconnected and multi-scalar, and thus too complex for procedural rational strategies—in which decision-making power is concentrated in the hands of a few individuals within an organisation (a hierarchical organisation having layers from top to bottom). For public administration to mitigate the impact of climate change, and facilitate long-term sustainability, policy innovation is essential for generating flexible, adaptable, future-oriented solutions. This study explores the role that public administration can play in inspiring policy innovation for climate resilience by emphasizing the need of an integrated approach to policy making that includes participatory approaches, technology transfer and uptake, governance reform, and equity considerations. It examines how government entities may integrate climate objectives into organizational operations, regulatory and policymaking processes, and strategic plans to embed climate resilience. Collaborative governance is a strategic approach for co-producing inclusive and contextually relevant resilience solutions that integrates diverse actors — local communities, private sector partners, civil society organizations and international organizations. The promise of digital technologies such as artificial-intelligence (AI), geographic information systems (GIS) and Internet-of-Thing (IoT) for better data-informed monitoring, early warning, and decision-making are discussed.Drawing on international case‐studies from India, Barbados and the US, the paper explores more recent policy tools for promoting IWRM including: nature‐based solutions; climate finance mechanisms; regulatory developments; and capacity development initiatives. These examples illustrate how governments can implement innovative policies that “fuse” social justice, environmental sustainability and economic competitiveness. Hot-water baths along the Chattahoochee provide a special attraction from a therapeutic standpoint, and on account of these mineral waters comes an appreciable revenue to the city and county. Creating climate resilience to rapid environmental change will only happen because it is championed by policy entrepreneurs in public administration, this study concludes. Public administrators could develop adaptable, inclusive and sustainable plans capable of dealing with immediate and future climate challenges by promoting an experimental culture; channeling technology; strengthening interagency collaboration and involving multiple stakeholders. The paper synthesizes theory, practice and policy innovation to craft concrete paths towards resilient societies, and contributes to the emerging literature on climate governance.
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Climate Resilience, Policy Innovation, Public Administration, Governance, Sustainability, Adaptive Strategies, Collaborative Governance, Technological Adoption, Equity, Nature-Based Solutions, Climate Finance, Capacity Building, Regulatory Reform, Institutional Theory, Complex Systems.