Learning to understand: disentangling the outcomes of stakeholder participation in climate change governance

Stakeholder participation is increasingly seen as beneficial for short and long term responses to climate change risks. Past research highlights the role social networks play both a key outcome of participation, well an important step towards other environmental governance goals. This paper focuses on relation mutual understanding, which often discussed in literature, but has yet be studied empirical network its own right. Our builds tests conceptual framework linking understanding learning. We analyze three waves perceptions data gathered stakeholders participating Integrated Coastal Resiliency Assessment (ICRA) project, 2.5 year-long project aimed at developing collaborative assessment vulnerabilities experienced by island community located Chesapeake Bay, USA. findings suggest that (measured co-attendance events) leads formation ties among stakeholders, these do not necessarily lead more similarity stakeholders’ change. reflect findings, broadly, noting our study lends support scholars arguing feelings are potentially certain forms collective action, opposed whether or increase their shared beliefs about problem question.