Poster #94 - Shortlisting or Elimination: A Dynamic Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Policy Pilot in Nationwide Climate Adaptation Networks

• In Event: Friday Poster Reception

Abstract

This paper theorizes the central-local government interaction in China's climate adaptation policy experimentation, using the “Climate-Resilient City Pilot” program as a case study. It reconceptualizes policy pilots not merely as administrative tools but as hybrid experimental institutions situated between top-down control and bottom-up initiative. Focusing on the nationwide “Climate-Resilient City Pilot” program, which adopted a dual-round selection mechanism involving local applications and central shortlisting, the paper seeks to understand why local governments voluntarily participate in national policy experiments and how central authorities determine successful pilot candidates.  Through a literature review on policy experimentation, bureaucratic delegation, and political incentives under China's hierarchical governance structure, the study identifies key factors that shape pilot selection and participation. Methodologically, the study applies Panel Data Qualitative Comparative Analysis (Panel-QCA) to explore how configurations of political commitment, administrative capacity, and climate vulnerability evolve over time to shape both local governments’ motivation to apply for pilot status and the central government’s selection decisions. By incorporating temporal dynamics into configurational analysis, Panel-QCA enhances causal inference in complex, longitudinal governance processes. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of strategic behavior under vertical intergovernmental relations, offering theoretical and empirical insights into how policy learning and innovation are mediated through multi-level governance in the era of climate change.

Author

• Yuge Wang, City University of Hong Kong
  Presenting Author