Something borrowed, everything new: innovation and institutionalization in urban climate governance

The traditional view of climate governance is that local action is shaped by international agreements and national policies, the priorities of funders, and ideas advanced by nongovernmental organizations and transnational networks. Some cities take action in response to these actors and the pressures they exert. However, most are motivated by internal goals and are taking independent action to advance their climate agendas. While mitigation planning is a relatively more institutionalized field of action than adaptation, cities in both the global North and South are testing new institutional arrangements and experimenting with adaptation and mitigation policies, plans, and processes as they seek to develop and advance their climate agendas. The lack of resources, capacity, and institutions to support local climate action appears to be fostering urban entrepreneurship, but these constraints also may be limiting the speed of program development and sustained gains that cities can achieve.

Research highlights▶ Cities are motivated by internal goals when advancing climate change agendas. ▶ Cities seek to embed mitigation and adaptation into existing plans. ▶ Cities are experimenting with climate policies and institutions. ▶ Capacity constraints are limiting program development and implementation. ▶ Greater legitimacy and capacity are essential to building climate programs.