Are Two Heads Better Than One? Public-private Partnerships and Their Function in the Climate Agenda

Abstract

Combatting climate change is the defining challenge of the 21st century, and with more and more responsibility diffusing from nation states to non-state actors, the need to understand these actors has become imperative. The purpose of this qualitative study is to further the understanding of organizational Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and their functions in the climate agenda. This is done by examining three organizational PPPs through primary data, in the form of interviews, as well as secondary data describes certain activities carried out by these PPPs. By analyzing the data inductively, the study finds that organizational PPPs maintain a neutral position, which allows them to establish relations, access and disseminate knowledge, and holistic representation of an industry or challenge. Ultimately, it is concluded that organizational PPPs can leverage neutrality to perform unique functions that affect the prospects of implementing the climate agenda, given certain constraints. This contribution to existing literature deepens the knowledge of organizational PPPs, and discusses under what circumstances this non-state actor has potential to affect the implementation of the climate agenda. Consequently, a relatively unknown non-state actor is better understood, and the possibility of combatting climate change can be reinforced using this new information.