Climate Change Terrorism and Pandemic Issues

Future of IGM/IGR in the US

The Critical Intergovernmental Challenges that the National Academy of Public Administration has identified include: The need for an improved system for the sharing of information and resources between different levels of government. Another challenge is for policies and regulations to be shaped so that they are better suited to the changing needs of governments at different levels to address such issues as climate change, terrorism, and the pandemic (Asaka, 2021; Davies et al., 2020). There is also the challenge of having an improved system for monitoring and evaluating intergovernmental programs to ensure their effectiveness. Government also needs to see increased collaboration among different levels in order to develop solutions to common problems. There is finally the need for improved alignment among state, local, and federal policies in order to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness.

The National Academy of Public Administration also identified several current barriers to effective collaboration at both the enterprise and program levels within and across levels of government. These barriers include:

1. A lack of trust or cooperation between different levels of government due to different motivations, priorities, and/or objectives (Conca, 2018).

2. Ineffective communication between different levels of government due to language barriers, differences in culture or values, or other factors. Differences in legal and regulatory frameworks between different levels of government that can hinder effective coordination.

3. A lack of resources or personnel availability to facilitate the coordination process between different levels of government.

4. Inadequate data sharing protocols between different levels of government that can limit the ability to develop comprehensive solutions.

In terms of strategies/models for improved collaboration, the National Academy of Public Administration identified strategies that include: developing a common set of principles for intergovernmental collaboration that outlines the goals and objectives for collaboration as well as specific actions that should be taken in order to achieve those goals; creating streamlined systems for sharing resources, data, and information among different levels of government in order to facilitate better decision making and problem solving processes; and utilizing technology solutions such as cloud computing or mobile applications in order to facilitate greater collaboration between governments at all levels.

The procedural or institutional changes to reduce barriers could include reducing or eliminating red tape, providing more support for intergovernmental collaboration, increasing transparency and accountability between different levels of governments, and improving communication and dialogue between governments (Kerr, 2020). A Biblical perspective could be helpful here, as the Bible calls for personal accountability: “So then each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). In other words, if everyone sees himself as he appears before God, he will likely do his duty more effectively.

Institutional capacity might be managed and funded through grants, contracts, or other forms of public funding. It could also include training and capacity building initiatives to ensure governments have the resources they need to effectively collaborate. Additionally, providing incentives for cooperation between governments could help encourage collaboration and reduce barriers. Finally, improved data sharing and access to analytics could help governments better understand the needs of their communities and resources available to address them.