The purpose of this handbook is to provide an easy guide to researchers, policy makers and consultants on how to carry out policy coherence assessments. The handbook explains a four-phased approach to coherence assessments that takes the user from the selection of policies to the synthesis of results. The handbook provides light and in-depth alternatives for assessing the level of coherence within and between policies, adaptable to the users’ needs. The handbook also offers guidance to facilitate understanding of the underlying factors that affect coherence, with examples and guiding questions to inform coherence assessments. Assessing these underlying factors enables a deeper understanding of the reasons behind low or high levels of coherence. Understanding these reasons can help users to identify solutions to incoherence and thereby increase levels of policy coherence.

This handbook has been developed in the context of the Horizon Europe funded CrossGov project (Coherent and cross-compliant ocean governance for delivering the Green Deal for European seas). The handbook is the result of joint learning within the CrossGov consortium and has benefitted from knowledge and insights from many researchers. For a full list of CrossGov sources and references used for the development of this handbook, see References.

While the methodological guidance is generic and applicable to many different policy areas, the examples used throughout the handbook mainly describe coherence in coastal and marine related policies. CrossGov focused on coherence between different environmental policies as well as coherence of economic sector policies with environmental policies.