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Dans cet article, nous explorons les formes différenciées d’appropriation territoriale du problème de l’adaptation au changement climatique en zones côtières à l’échelle de deux régions françaises, la Martinique et l’Aquitaine. Nous exposons tout d’abord le fait que l’adaptation constitue un problème transversal, « mal structuré », et en ce sens difficilement gouvernable. Nous cherchons ensuite à identifier certains acteurs et mécanismes qui visent à rendre gouvernable ce problème, c’est-à-dire à problématiser, structurer, opérationnaliser une action publique territoriale d’adaptation. L’analyse comparée permet de montrer que cette appropriation dépend non seulement des capacités politiques d’acteurs et d’organisations-frontières ( i.e de « médiateurs ») à structurer le problème, mais aussi et surtout des configurations territoriales dans lesquelles ils agissent.

Boundary work and boundary organizations in climate change adaptation policies : the case of coastal areas in Aquitaine and Martinique IslandThis article examines different forms of territorial appropriation of climate change adaptation in two French coastal areas : Aquitaine in southwest France and Martinique Island in the French West Indies. We first highlight difficulties for policy makers to govern such an issue, qualified as an unstructured or wicked problem due to its inherent transversal dimensions. We then identify key actors and processes that render this problem governable on (and by) local territories. The international and national framing process results from and contributes to an association and hybridization with other policies, especially those from coastal risk management. The comparison shows that boundary actors and organizations (a regional working group dealing with climate change and the public interest group of Aquitaine coastline) are able to facilitate territorial appropriation by mediating between different social worlds, mainly science and politics. Capacities to cross scales and boundaries in public policy making and to mobilize boundary objects are the main features of these boundary actors. However, the case studies indicate that territorial configurations of actors play a more determining role in the politicization and the making of climate change adaptation policies. Indeed, these actors are embedded in broader institutional configurations that shape the way they can perform their boundary work.