Determinants of successful delivery by non-state actors: an exploratory study

Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change are giving an increasingly prominent role to non-state actor action. Reflecting this development, significant research efforts have gone into studying non-state actor actions. However, the literature shows a paucity of studies of the determinants of delivery by non-state actors. The article asks the following question: what is the full range of determinants of delivery by non-state actor focused on adaptation to climate change and disaster risk reduction? Drawing on data collected through interviews with, and a survey of, core partners in a selection of non-state actor actions, the article puts forward a taxonomy that can help gauge the likelihood that a non-state actor action may be able to deliver on its intended objectives. The findings presented in the article reveal that several of the determinants of delivery by non-state actors are outside of the sphere of influence of the core partners in these actions. The article makes the case for using this kind of taxonomies to conducting ex-ante assessments of non-state actor actions, with a view to reflecting the results of the assessments in the design of the action, thus increasing the quality of non-state actor action.