The limits of co-production: linking regulatory capacity to co-production of authoritative knowledge for environmental policy

This paper introduces a novel perspective on co-production of authoritative knowledge in environmental policy, shifting focus from perceived flaws in knowledge production to structural and governance challenges impeding knowledge uptake. It argues that these challenges, including diminishing support for public authority and widespread enthusiasm for collaboration, contribute to regulatory capacity deficits, which undermine knowledge claims’ authority. This account is tested through case study analysis of policy stakeholders in Colorado, USA, who sought to co-produce a scientific assessment for biodiversity offsetting. Despite repeated efforts, industry stakeholders disengaged twice, leading to abandonment of the policy initiative. Analysis demonstrates regulatory capacity’s crucial role in fostering co-production and integration of authoritative scientific knowledge in policymaking. By analyzing the failure to sustain stakeholder engagement in terms of interplay between regulatory capacity and co-production, this study contributes a critique of mainstream co-production and demonstrates the value of analyzing how institutional arrangements shape knowledge and policy integration.