Date of Conferral
2021
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Public Policy and Administration
Advisor
Lynn Wilson
Abstract
American Samoa remains highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and has not developed the adaptive capacity to ensure resiliency. The current regulatory system influences the policy decisions of local policy leaders and therefore affecting the territory’s adaptive capacity to climate change impacts. The purpose of this general qualitative interview-based study was to investigate the current governance framework and describe the factors in the territorial relationship that impact policy action of local policy leaders on climate change issues. The research question examined what major aspects of the current regulatory framework impact the policy action of local policy leaders on climate change issues. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 local policy leaders in executive organizations with climate change responsibilities. Data were analyzed qualitatively using inductive analysis. The evolutionary governance theory’s constructs were used to analyze the findings. Findings indicated that federal funds, the oversight of the U.S. federal government, and the culture of territorialism affected the policy decisions of local policy leaders on climate change issues. The findings of this study speak to the need to raise awareness of climate change impacts and the impact of the territorial relationship on the climate change policy efforts of the territory. This study engenders new knowledge that may spur discussions by policy actors on how to create more effective policies in American Samoa, that may increase the territory’s capacity to adapt to climatic changes, which is an implication for positive social change.
Recommended Citation
Atuatasi, Casuallen Iulieta, "A Sese Uta, ia Tonu Tai: Local Government Management for Climate Change Adaptive Practices" (2021). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 10475.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/10475
