Are small municipalities more adaptive in governance when responding to disasters?

Abstract

This study examines how differences in municipal administrative capacity influence adaptive governance in disaster response, particularly focusing on relationships with NPOs. This research analyzes contrasting approaches to adaptive governance through a comparative case study of two adjacent municipalities in Saga Prefecture, Japan: Omachi Town (population: 6,245) and Takeo City (population: 48,637). Both municipalities experienced floods caused by the same rainfall events in 2019 and 2021 and had limited prior experience with NPO collaboration. The study finds that the small municipality (town) demonstrated stronger adaptive governance by deeply embedding external NPOs into their administration to compensate for limited capacity, while the medium-sized municipality initially showed reluctance toward NPOs but later developed equal partnerships with NPOs. There are two reasons why the small town appeared to be adaptive. First, the small town lacked the administrative capacity to respond to disasters, so they had no choice but to adapt. Second, an official who was dispatched from the prefecture to the town as a liaison—this official later worked as the deputy mayor of this town—instructed the town staff that they needed to develop the capacity to accept assistance. While more robust adaptive governance is generally considered preferable for disaster response and recovery, there are inherent risks: over-reliance on NPOs and the tendency for nationwide NPOs to shift their resources when disasters strike elsewhere. Although this study is limited to the cases of only two municipalities, it provides contrasting valuable insights for the practice of adaptive governance.

Keywords

Disaster management / Adaptive governance / Resilience / Local government / Flood / NPO

References

[1] Toyoda M, Mori N, Kim S, Yoshino J, Haruyama K. Assessment of climate change impact on compound flooding considering typhoon intensification and astronomical tide in Ise Bay, Japan: a typhoon track ensemble approach. Coast Eng J, 2025.

[2] Fournier M, Larrue C, Alexander M, Hegger D, Bakker M, Pettersson M, Crabbé A, Mees H, Chorynski A. Flood risk mitigation in Europe: how far away are we from the aspired forms of adaptive governance?. Ecol Soc, 2016, 21(4): 49.

[3] Nyide S, Simatele MD, Grab S, Adom RK. Assessment of the dynamics towards effective and efficient post-flood disaster adaptive capacity and resilience in South Africa. Sustainability, 2023, 15(17. 12719

[4] Folke C, Hahn T, Olsson P, Norberg J. Adaptive governance of social-ecological systems. Annu Rev Environ Resour, 2005, 30: 441-473.

[5] Armitage DR, Plummer R, Berkes F, Arthur RI, Charles AT, Davidson-Hunt IJ, Diduck AP, Doubleday NC, Johnson DS, Marschke M, McConney P, Pinkerton EW, Wollenberg EK. Adaptive co-management for social–ecological complexity. Front Ecological Environment, 2009, 7(2): 95-102.

[6] Ostrom E. Beyond markets and states: polycentric governance of complex economic systems. Am Econ Rev, 2010, 100(3): 641-672.

[7] Cleaver F, Whaley L. Understanding process, power, and meaning in adaptive governance: a critical institutional reading. Ecol Soc, 2018.

[8] McGinnis MD ed (1999) Polycentric Governance and Development: Readings from the Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis. Ann Arbor, Michigan: The University of Michigan Press

[9] Fila D, Fünfgeld H, Dahlmann H. Climate change adaptation with limited resources: adaptive capacity and action in small- and medium-sized municipalities. Environ Dev Sustain, 2024, 26: 5607-5627.

[10] Fila D, Fünfgeld H, Lorenz S. Theorizing power and agency in state-initiated municipal climate change adaptation: integrating reflexive capacity into adaptive capacity. Geogr Helv, 2024, 79: 21-33.

[11] Mees HLP, Driessen PPJ, Runhaar HAC. Legitimate adaptive flood risk governance beyond the dikes: the cases of Hamburg, Helsinki and Rotterdam. Reg Environ Change, 2014, 14: 671-682.

[12] O’Donoghue S, Lehmann M, Major D, Major-Ex G, Sutherland C, Motau A, Haddaden N, Kibria ASMG, Costanza R, Groves C, Behie A, Johnson K. Adaptation to climate change in small coastal cities: The influence of development status on adaptation response. Ocean Coast Manag, 2021, 211. 105788

[13] Rana IA, Asim M, Aslam AB, Jamshed A. Disaster management cycle and its application for flood risk reduction in urban areas of Pakistan. Urban Clim, 2021, 38. 100893

[14] Ro B, Gregg G (2023) Building urban flood resilience through institutional adaptive capacity: A case study of Seoul, South Korea. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103474

[15] Tanner T, Mitchell T, Polack E, Guenther B. Urban governance for adaptation: assessing climate change resilience in ten Asian cities. IDS Work Pap, 2009.

[16] Brink E, Wamsler C. Collaborative governance for climate change adaptation: mapping citizen–municipality interactions. Environ Policy Gov, 2018, 28: 82-97.

[17] Djalante1 R, Holley C, Thomalla F (2011) Adaptive governance and managing resilience to natural hazards. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science 2 (4):1–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13753-011-0015-6

[18] Carpenter S, Walker B, Anderies JM, Abel N. From metaphor to measurement: resilience of what to what?. Ecosystems, 2001, 4(8): 765-781.

[19] Aoki N. Adaptive governance for resilience in the wake of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. Habitat Int, 2016, 52: 20-25.

[20] Agranoff R, McGuire MCollaborative public management: new strategies for local governments, 2003Washington, D.C.Georgetown University Press

[21] Yin, RK. (2013) Case Study Research: Design and Methods – Fifth edition. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage

[22] Takeo City (2019) Reiwa Gannen Hachigatu Gouu Takeo-shi Saigai Kirokushi (Takeo City Disaster Record Book on Heavy Rain in August 2019)

[23] Saga Prefectural Office (2020) Jutakutouhigai (Damage to Houses and other property in 2019). https://www.pref.saga.lg.jp/bousai/kiji00370893/3_70893_162773_up_su1xk3ep.pdf

[24] Takeo River Office, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (2021) Reiwa Sannen Hachigatsu Gouu To Sonogaiyou (Heavy Rain in August 2021 and its Summary). http://www.qsr.mlit.go.jp/takeo/site_files/file/kasegawa/kasesaihyouka/2021gakushikikon06.pdf, last accessed 2023/01/06)

[25] Saga Prefectural Office (2023) Jutakutouhigai (Damage to Houses and other property in 2021). https://www.pref.saga.lg.jp/bousai/kiji00381950/3_81950_273958_up_s7dss3k1.pdf

[26] Cabinet Office, Government of Japan (2022) Saigai Case Management Nikansuru Torikumijireisyu (Collection of Case Studies of Initiatives on Disaster Case Management: March 2022). https://www.bousai.go.jp/taisaku/hisaisyagyousei/case/pdf/shiryo2_8.pdf

[27] Takeo City (2023) Reiwa Sannen Hachigatu Juichinichi Karano Oame Niyoru Saigai Saigai Kirokushi (Takeo City Disaster Record Book on Heavy Rain from August 11, 2021)

[28] Sato A (2023) Community Outreach through Soft-type Measures in the Wake of an Initial Disaster. Proceeding at the 2nd International Conference on Construction Resources for Environmentally Sustainable Technologies conducted in November 2023

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

The Author(s)