Environmental policy integration in Brazil: an analysis of climate and biodiversity policies

Abstract This article debates the importance and the current state of environmental policy integration among the areas of climate change and biodiversity in Brazil. It presents and critically evaluates the theoretical assumption that differences in bureaucratic cultures will necessarily result in policy integration difficulties. Based on the theoretical framework of grid-group cultural theory, it argues that the dominant egalitarian style developed within the context of biodiversity policies diverges, and sometimes hampers integration with climate change policies, which were found to present a predominantly hierarchical approach. Finally, the role of political leadership in overcoming the institutional barriers represented by bureaucratic cultures is also presented as an important factor relativizing and qualifying the predictions of cultural theory.

摘要 本文探讨了巴西气候变化与生物多样性领域环境政策整合的重要性及现状。本文提出并批判性评估了一项理论假设：官僚文化差异必然会导致政策整合困境。本文基于网格-群体文化理论（grid-group cultural theory）的分析框架，提出核心论点：生物多样性政策语境下形成的主流平等主义模式与气候变化政策存在分歧，有时甚至会阻碍二者的政策整合——后者呈现出以层级制为主的治理模式。最后，本文还指出，政治领导力在克服官僚文化所代表的制度障碍方面的作用，是弱化并修正文化理论预测的重要因素。