Multiple crises as a policy window for forest and nature a power-analysis from Germany

Abstract

Worldwide, a variety of crises are affecting forests, which also contribute to mitigate crises effects. This article examines the question to what extent and under what conditions crises are drivers for policy change towards more ecological forest management. Based on an analytical model that links crises and policy change through actor-centred power (ACP), the formulation of new financing instruments for forests in Germany is used as a case. Methodologically, we go beyond recording power resources and focus on the use of these resources by actors of both the forest and nature conservation policy sector. The use of power resources is measured by the activities of sectoral actors and their effectiveness for the policy output. The results show policy changes that have been favored by the climate, forest and coronavirus crises. The crises opened windows of opportunity as discursive resources that could be better exploited by the forest sector than the nature conservation sector. This shows that the use of crises by political actors tends to have a power-stabilizing effect in forest policy. Only the change of government opened the window that leaded to a power shift in favor of the nature conservation sector by defining more nature conservation related requirements.