Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Designing Policies In Uncertain Contexts: Entrepreneurial Capacity And The European Emission Trading Scheme, Ishani Mukherjee, Sarah Giest

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The paper focuses on enterprising agents in policy formulation and design by looking at their capacity of dealing with different levels of uncertainty. In climate policy specifically, different degrees and types of uncertainties pose a challenge to policymakers. Policy entrepreneurs and the combination of their analytical, operational and political competences are a relevant component in reducing ambiguity in policy design and translating broad policy goals to operational programmes and specific policy instruments. Using the case of the European Emission Trading Scheme, we suggest that the success of policy entrepreneurs in catalysing policy change is determined by their capacity to work …