Lessons learned about the hindering factors for regional cooperation towards the mitigation of climate change

Abstract

As the importance of climate change mitigation and adaptation increases, tools to assist these ranging from training materials, awareness raising event models to company level cooperation tools are being introduced to various stakeholders. These tools can only be effective by extensive utilisation throughout the globe which requires the communication and awareness raising on climate change. The actual implementation and impact assessment of these tools need to be further investigated. Opportunities and barriers for the use of such tools and whether climate change communication is an enhancing or hindering effect is very important in this investigation. As an example for such a tool, an industrial symbiosis model where an unorthodox regional approach is taken rather than close proximity cooperating companies, has been implemented in the Western Black Sea Region countries. The results of the study include three major barriers; namely, lack of regional policy and relevant legislation, trust among companies and a common working language in the region. The effects of other barriers and possible opportunities that would hinder these barriers are discussed in this study including the lack of regional policies on climate change based on one-to-one interviews with selected company representatives in the region. The lessons learned are significant for similar regional exemplary tools of sustainable development and climate change mitigation practices.