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Papers by Anke Fischer

AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment, 2007

Conflicts between the conservation of biodiversity and other human activities have been and conti... more Conflicts between the conservation of biodiversity and other human activities have been and continue to be of increasing concern in the European Union, often having important political, economic, and environmental repercussions. These conflicts have been addressed in the European Union by using a wide array of top down and bottom up tools, with varying degrees of success. A new challenge is now facing Europe with the integration of 10 new countries in the European Union (EU) and an additional range of biodiversity-rich habitats placed under EU legislation. The rich biodiversity of the central and eastern European countries (CEEC) is likely to be threatened by some aspects of the integration process, and conflicts between the conservation of biodiversity and other human activities are expected. In this paper, we review certain existing conflicts between biodiversity conservation and human activities in the CEEC, expected conflicts associated with integration to the EU, particularly in terms of new policy and legislation implementation, and, finally, explore possible conflict management options.

Society & Natural Resources, 2012

In the Buddhist Republic of Kalmykia, Russia, which has recently experienced dramatic and complex... more In the Buddhist Republic of Kalmykia, Russia, which has recently experienced dramatic and complex social changes, environmental problems include declines in wildlife, desertification, and poor water quality and availability. Qualitative analysis of semistructured interviews showed that responsibility for tackling these environmental problems was attributed to authorities. This was linked to a culture of collectivism fostered in Soviet times, which constrained people's perceptions of their role and ability to take action to help their environment. However, where a community had received pro-ecological Buddhist teachings, individuals had a stronger sense of their own agency and took more action to help the environment. This study demonstrates the potential for wider cultural context to have an enduring influence on environmentally relevant behaviors (in this case, collectivism limited the perception of individual agency), and demonstrates that engaging with the local cultural and social context (such as religious views) can support conservation interventions.

Conservation Biology, 2010

Abstract: Conservation interventions require evaluation to understand what factors predict succes... more Abstract: Conservation interventions require evaluation to understand what factors predict success or failure. To date, there has been little systematic investigation of the effect of social and cultural context on conservation success, although a large body of literature argues it is important. We investigated whether local cultural context, particularly local institutions and the efforts of interventions to engage with this culture significantly influence conservation outcomes. We also tested the effects of community participation, conservation education, benefit provision, and market integration. We systematically reviewed the literature on community-based conservation and identified 68 interventions suitable for inclusion. We used a protocol to extract and code information and evaluated a range of measures of outcome success (attitudinal, behavioral, ecological, and economic). We also examined the association of each predictor with each outcome measure and the structure of predictor covariance. Local institutional context influenced intervention outcomes, and interventions that engaged with local institutions were more likely to succeed. Nevertheless, there was limited support for the role of community participation, conservation education, benefit provision, and market integration on intervention success. We recommend that conservation interventions seek to understand the societies they work with and tailor their activities accordingly. Systematic reviews are a valuable approach for assessing conservation evidence, although sensitive to the continuing lack of high-quality reporting on conservation interventions.Resumen: Las intervenciones de conservación requieren ser evaluadas para entender los factores que predicen el éxito o fracaso. A la fecha, ha habido escasa investigación sistemática del efecto del contexto social y cultural sobre el éxito de la conservación, aunque una extensa literatura argumenta que es importante. Investigamos sí el contexto cultural local, particularmente las instituciones locales y los esfuerzos de intervenciones para relacionarse con esta cultura influyen significativamente en los resultados de conservación. También probamos los efectos de la participación de la comunidad, educación para la conservación, provisión de beneficios e integración del mercado. Sistemáticamente revisamos la literatura o sobre conservación basada en comunidades y encontramos 68 intervenciones adecuadas para incluirlas. Utilizamos un protocolo para extraer y codificar la información y evaluamos una gama de medidas de resultados exitosos (altitudinal, conductual, ecológica y económica). También examinamos la asociación de cada indicador con cada medida de resultados y la estructura de la covarianza del indicador. El contexto institucional local influyó en los resultados de la intervención, y las intervenciones que involucraron instituciones locales tuvieron mayor probabilidad de éxito. Sin embargo, hubo soporte limitado para el papel de la participación de la comunidad, la educación para la conservación, provisión de beneficios e integración del mercado en el éxito de la intervención. Recomendamos que las intervenciones de conservación intenten entender a las sociedades con que se trabaja y ajustar sus actividades en consecuencia. Las revisiones sistemáticas son un método valioso para evaluar evidencias de la conservación, aunque son sensibles a la escasez de reportes de buena calidad sobre las intervenciones de conservación.Resumen: Las intervenciones de conservación requieren ser evaluadas para entender los factores que predicen el éxito o fracaso. A la fecha, ha habido escasa investigación sistemática del efecto del contexto social y cultural sobre el éxito de la conservación, aunque una extensa literatura argumenta que es importante. Investigamos sí el contexto cultural local, particularmente las instituciones locales y los esfuerzos de intervenciones para relacionarse con esta cultura influyen significativamente en los resultados de conservación. También probamos los efectos de la participación de la comunidad, educación para la conservación, provisión de beneficios e integración del mercado. Sistemáticamente revisamos la literatura o sobre conservación basada en comunidades y encontramos 68 intervenciones adecuadas para incluirlas. Utilizamos un protocolo para extraer y codificar la información y evaluamos una gama de medidas de resultados exitosos (altitudinal, conductual, ecológica y económica). También examinamos la asociación de cada indicador con cada medida de resultados y la estructura de la covarianza del indicador. El contexto institucional local influyó en los resultados de la intervención, y las intervenciones que involucraron instituciones locales tuvieron mayor probabilidad de éxito. Sin embargo, hubo soporte limitado para el papel de la participación de la comunidad, la educación para la conservación, provisión de beneficios e integración del mercado en el éxito de la intervención. Recomendamos que las intervenciones de conservación intenten entender a las sociedades con que se trabaja y ajustar sus actividades en consecuencia. Las revisiones sistemáticas son un método valioso para evaluar evidencias de la conservación, aunque son sensibles a la escasez de reportes de buena calidad sobre las intervenciones de conservación.

Human Ecology, 2010

Attitudes towards the management of the natural environment have been described mainly as buildin... more Attitudes towards the management of the natural environment have been described mainly as building on individuals’ images of nature and the human–nature relationship. However, in previous qualitative research I found strong evidence that in order to understand public views on environmental policies we also need to understand individuals’ beliefs about their fellow humans. The present study tested the hypothesis that beliefs about human nature and preferences for certain governance approaches—such as regulations and collective action—are related to individuals’ attitudes towards concrete management measures. Survey results (n = 155), analysed by means of structural equation modelling, suggest that effects of beliefs about human nature are discernible, but not significant. I could, however, identify generic preferences for particular approaches to environmental governance. These significantly explained variation in attitudes towards environmental governance in an applied context, suggesting a strong need for further research in this politically highly relevant field.

This paper presents a case study on the development and implementation of a decentralised and out... more This paper presents a case study on the development and implementation of a decentralised and outcome-based agri-environmental payment scheme in a project region in central Germany. A research group from Goettingen University together with local actors designed the scheme which complies with the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy. The core of the programme is the creation of a market for ecological goods, in this case: of plant diversity standards in agriculture. Supply is provided by the local farmers, who, in an open competitive bidding, offer to produce as much as they are willing to of the commodity in question. The local population has to be seen as the beneficiary of these environmental goods. In the project, it is represented by a Regional Advisory Board which expresses the demand for plant diversity (i) by defining the goods and (ii) by allocating the funds to the respective goods. Hence, these plant diversity goods are treated as merit goods. To justify this approach, results from a contingent valuation study that focused on the respondents’ decision behaviour are applied. These results show that the utility expected from the provision of these goods is substantial and that ecological goods are considered as personally relevant. Based on these findings, the paper discusses the provision of ecological goods as merit – as opposed to private – goods.

Public Administration and Development, 2007

This article presents a conceptual framework for analysing the governance of natural resource use... more This article presents a conceptual framework for analysing the governance of natural resource use, as governance is often the primary issue when natural resources are overexploited and degraded. It addresses both spontaneous and active governance, including institutional change induced by development co-operation. Drawing on existing frameworks of institutional analysis, fundamental modifications are presented to adapt the concept to the context of international co-operation, and to include dynamic aspects of institutional change as well as multiple actor interactions. Tested in several case studies, the framework was found suitable and relevant for use in project planning and evaluation, as well as for comparing governance issues across cases in a conceptually rigorous way. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Journal papers by Anke Fischer

Global Environmental Change, 2011

Citizens’ support for policies that aim to curb carbon emissions and energy use is often seen as ... more Citizens’ support for policies that aim to curb carbon emissions and energy use is often seen as informed by their values, attitudes and perceptions of the environmental problem in question. We argue that we also need to understand how people conceptualise policies and the governance approaches underpinning them to be able to judge the likely acceptance of policy change.
In this study, we draw on qualitative interviews (n = 202) from five European countries to explore citizens’ views on governance approaches to stimulate behavioural change in the field of resource use, including regulations, price changes, collective action, technological change and education.
We found that many of our interviewees referred to generalised characteristics of humankind and contemporary society to back up their arguments for or against specific governance approaches. In particular, many interviewees concurred that people in general were so self-centred, driven by habit and money- and consumption-oriented that only strict regulations, drastic price changes and technological innovation could possibly achieve widespread behavioural change. As a consequence, such ‘folk psychologies’ can have substantial impact not only on public acceptance, but also on the success of policy measures that aim to reduce citizens’ resource use.

Papers, reports and book chapters by Anke Fischer

Fischer, A., Spekkink, W., Polzin, C., Díaz-Ayude, A., Brizi, A., Macsinga, I. (2018): Social representations of governance for change towards sustainability: perspectives of sustainability advocates Environ. Polit. 27 (4), 621 – 643, 2018

There is a substantial body of literature on public understandings of large-scale 'environmental'... more There is a substantial body of literature on public understandings of large-scale 'environmental' phenomena such as climate change and resource degradation. At the same time, political science and economics analyse the governance arrangements to deal with such issues. These realms of research rarely meet: there has been little research into people's understandings of the governance of environmental change. This study adds a psychological perspective to governance research by investigating social representations of governance that promotes societal change towards sustainability, and related practices. It examines data from qualitative interviews with sustainability-interested people in seven European countries (n = 105). The analysis identified building blocks of representations suitable as an analytical framework for future research on governance representations. The diversity of their content reflected a range of pathways to societal change. Representations often seemed to have a creative function as a guiding vision for individuals' own practices, but their wider transformative potential was constrained.

AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment, 2007

Conflicts between the conservation of biodiversity and other human activities have been and conti... more Conflicts between the conservation of biodiversity and other human activities have been and continue to be of increasing concern in the European Union, often having important political, economic, and environmental repercussions. These conflicts have been addressed in the European Union by using a wide array of top down and bottom up tools, with varying degrees of success. A new challenge is now facing Europe with the integration of 10 new countries in the European Union (EU) and an additional range of biodiversity-rich habitats placed under EU legislation. The rich biodiversity of the central and eastern European countries (CEEC) is likely to be threatened by some aspects of the integration process, and conflicts between the conservation of biodiversity and other human activities are expected. In this paper, we review certain existing conflicts between biodiversity conservation and human activities in the CEEC, expected conflicts associated with integration to the EU, particularly in terms of new policy and legislation implementation, and, finally, explore possible conflict management options.

Society & Natural Resources, 2012

In the Buddhist Republic of Kalmykia, Russia, which has recently experienced dramatic and complex... more In the Buddhist Republic of Kalmykia, Russia, which has recently experienced dramatic and complex social changes, environmental problems include declines in wildlife, desertification, and poor water quality and availability. Qualitative analysis of semistructured interviews showed that responsibility for tackling these environmental problems was attributed to authorities. This was linked to a culture of collectivism fostered in Soviet times, which constrained people's perceptions of their role and ability to take action to help their environment. However, where a community had received pro-ecological Buddhist teachings, individuals had a stronger sense of their own agency and took more action to help the environment. This study demonstrates the potential for wider cultural context to have an enduring influence on environmentally relevant behaviors (in this case, collectivism limited the perception of individual agency), and demonstrates that engaging with the local cultural and social context (such as religious views) can support conservation interventions.

Conservation Biology, 2010

Abstract: Conservation interventions require evaluation to understand what factors predict succes... more Abstract: Conservation interventions require evaluation to understand what factors predict success or failure. To date, there has been little systematic investigation of the effect of social and cultural context on conservation success, although a large body of literature argues it is important. We investigated whether local cultural context, particularly local institutions and the efforts of interventions to engage with this culture significantly influence conservation outcomes. We also tested the effects of community participation, conservation education, benefit provision, and market integration. We systematically reviewed the literature on community-based conservation and identified 68 interventions suitable for inclusion. We used a protocol to extract and code information and evaluated a range of measures of outcome success (attitudinal, behavioral, ecological, and economic). We also examined the association of each predictor with each outcome measure and the structure of predictor covariance. Local institutional context influenced intervention outcomes, and interventions that engaged with local institutions were more likely to succeed. Nevertheless, there was limited support for the role of community participation, conservation education, benefit provision, and market integration on intervention success. We recommend that conservation interventions seek to understand the societies they work with and tailor their activities accordingly. Systematic reviews are a valuable approach for assessing conservation evidence, although sensitive to the continuing lack of high-quality reporting on conservation interventions.Resumen: Las intervenciones de conservación requieren ser evaluadas para entender los factores que predicen el éxito o fracaso. A la fecha, ha habido escasa investigación sistemática del efecto del contexto social y cultural sobre el éxito de la conservación, aunque una extensa literatura argumenta que es importante. Investigamos sí el contexto cultural local, particularmente las instituciones locales y los esfuerzos de intervenciones para relacionarse con esta cultura influyen significativamente en los resultados de conservación. También probamos los efectos de la participación de la comunidad, educación para la conservación, provisión de beneficios e integración del mercado. Sistemáticamente revisamos la literatura o sobre conservación basada en comunidades y encontramos 68 intervenciones adecuadas para incluirlas. Utilizamos un protocolo para extraer y codificar la información y evaluamos una gama de medidas de resultados exitosos (altitudinal, conductual, ecológica y económica). También examinamos la asociación de cada indicador con cada medida de resultados y la estructura de la covarianza del indicador. El contexto institucional local influyó en los resultados de la intervención, y las intervenciones que involucraron instituciones locales tuvieron mayor probabilidad de éxito. Sin embargo, hubo soporte limitado para el papel de la participación de la comunidad, la educación para la conservación, provisión de beneficios e integración del mercado en el éxito de la intervención. Recomendamos que las intervenciones de conservación intenten entender a las sociedades con que se trabaja y ajustar sus actividades en consecuencia. Las revisiones sistemáticas son un método valioso para evaluar evidencias de la conservación, aunque son sensibles a la escasez de reportes de buena calidad sobre las intervenciones de conservación.Resumen: Las intervenciones de conservación requieren ser evaluadas para entender los factores que predicen el éxito o fracaso. A la fecha, ha habido escasa investigación sistemática del efecto del contexto social y cultural sobre el éxito de la conservación, aunque una extensa literatura argumenta que es importante. Investigamos sí el contexto cultural local, particularmente las instituciones locales y los esfuerzos de intervenciones para relacionarse con esta cultura influyen significativamente en los resultados de conservación. También probamos los efectos de la participación de la comunidad, educación para la conservación, provisión de beneficios e integración del mercado. Sistemáticamente revisamos la literatura o sobre conservación basada en comunidades y encontramos 68 intervenciones adecuadas para incluirlas. Utilizamos un protocolo para extraer y codificar la información y evaluamos una gama de medidas de resultados exitosos (altitudinal, conductual, ecológica y económica). También examinamos la asociación de cada indicador con cada medida de resultados y la estructura de la covarianza del indicador. El contexto institucional local influyó en los resultados de la intervención, y las intervenciones que involucraron instituciones locales tuvieron mayor probabilidad de éxito. Sin embargo, hubo soporte limitado para el papel de la participación de la comunidad, la educación para la conservación, provisión de beneficios e integración del mercado en el éxito de la intervención. Recomendamos que las intervenciones de conservación intenten entender a las sociedades con que se trabaja y ajustar sus actividades en consecuencia. Las revisiones sistemáticas son un método valioso para evaluar evidencias de la conservación, aunque son sensibles a la escasez de reportes de buena calidad sobre las intervenciones de conservación.

Human Ecology, 2010

Attitudes towards the management of the natural environment have been described mainly as buildin... more Attitudes towards the management of the natural environment have been described mainly as building on individuals’ images of nature and the human–nature relationship. However, in previous qualitative research I found strong evidence that in order to understand public views on environmental policies we also need to understand individuals’ beliefs about their fellow humans. The present study tested the hypothesis that beliefs about human nature and preferences for certain governance approaches—such as regulations and collective action—are related to individuals’ attitudes towards concrete management measures. Survey results (n = 155), analysed by means of structural equation modelling, suggest that effects of beliefs about human nature are discernible, but not significant. I could, however, identify generic preferences for particular approaches to environmental governance. These significantly explained variation in attitudes towards environmental governance in an applied context, suggesting a strong need for further research in this politically highly relevant field.

This paper presents a case study on the development and implementation of a decentralised and out... more This paper presents a case study on the development and implementation of a decentralised and outcome-based agri-environmental payment scheme in a project region in central Germany. A research group from Goettingen University together with local actors designed the scheme which complies with the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy. The core of the programme is the creation of a market for ecological goods, in this case: of plant diversity standards in agriculture. Supply is provided by the local farmers, who, in an open competitive bidding, offer to produce as much as they are willing to of the commodity in question. The local population has to be seen as the beneficiary of these environmental goods. In the project, it is represented by a Regional Advisory Board which expresses the demand for plant diversity (i) by defining the goods and (ii) by allocating the funds to the respective goods. Hence, these plant diversity goods are treated as merit goods. To justify this approach, results from a contingent valuation study that focused on the respondents’ decision behaviour are applied. These results show that the utility expected from the provision of these goods is substantial and that ecological goods are considered as personally relevant. Based on these findings, the paper discusses the provision of ecological goods as merit – as opposed to private – goods.

Public Administration and Development, 2007

This article presents a conceptual framework for analysing the governance of natural resource use... more This article presents a conceptual framework for analysing the governance of natural resource use, as governance is often the primary issue when natural resources are overexploited and degraded. It addresses both spontaneous and active governance, including institutional change induced by development co-operation. Drawing on existing frameworks of institutional analysis, fundamental modifications are presented to adapt the concept to the context of international co-operation, and to include dynamic aspects of institutional change as well as multiple actor interactions. Tested in several case studies, the framework was found suitable and relevant for use in project planning and evaluation, as well as for comparing governance issues across cases in a conceptually rigorous way. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Global Environmental Change, 2011

Citizens’ support for policies that aim to curb carbon emissions and energy use is often seen as ... more Citizens’ support for policies that aim to curb carbon emissions and energy use is often seen as informed by their values, attitudes and perceptions of the environmental problem in question. We argue that we also need to understand how people conceptualise policies and the governance approaches underpinning them to be able to judge the likely acceptance of policy change.
In this study, we draw on qualitative interviews (n = 202) from five European countries to explore citizens’ views on governance approaches to stimulate behavioural change in the field of resource use, including regulations, price changes, collective action, technological change and education.
We found that many of our interviewees referred to generalised characteristics of humankind and contemporary society to back up their arguments for or against specific governance approaches. In particular, many interviewees concurred that people in general were so self-centred, driven by habit and money- and consumption-oriented that only strict regulations, drastic price changes and technological innovation could possibly achieve widespread behavioural change. As a consequence, such ‘folk psychologies’ can have substantial impact not only on public acceptance, but also on the success of policy measures that aim to reduce citizens’ resource use.

Fischer, A., Spekkink, W., Polzin, C., Díaz-Ayude, A., Brizi, A., Macsinga, I. (2018): Social representations of governance for change towards sustainability: perspectives of sustainability advocates Environ. Polit. 27 (4), 621 – 643, 2018

There is a substantial body of literature on public understandings of large-scale 'environmental'... more There is a substantial body of literature on public understandings of large-scale 'environmental' phenomena such as climate change and resource degradation. At the same time, political science and economics analyse the governance arrangements to deal with such issues. These realms of research rarely meet: there has been little research into people's understandings of the governance of environmental change. This study adds a psychological perspective to governance research by investigating social representations of governance that promotes societal change towards sustainability, and related practices. It examines data from qualitative interviews with sustainability-interested people in seven European countries (n = 105). The analysis identified building blocks of representations suitable as an analytical framework for future research on governance representations. The diversity of their content reflected a range of pathways to societal change. Representations often seemed to have a creative function as a guiding vision for individuals' own practices, but their wider transformative potential was constrained.