Local Government and Climate change I: Local Politics and Policymaking

Abstract

The climate crisis has gained increased attention in European cities and municipalities, and has been put on the agendas of local government. Some cities and municipalities are front-runners, and are developing more radical climate policies and governance tools than national authorities. Local climate budgets, green public procurement, green strategies and green economic incentives are examples of local governance innovations. At the same time, climate policies like car-reducing measures are often polarizing the local political landscape (between green political parties and populistic right-wing parties). This panel will discuss the role of local government in the green shift, with a particular focus on how climate strategies and energy transitions are shaped by local political dynamics. Hence, the panel includes papers cover issues such as: • Local climate leadership • Local climate policies and measures • Local political tensions and conflicts in climate politics • Credibility, justice and trade-offs in local climate policy • The role of local government in energy transition

Title	Details
Political drivers of the adoption of solar parks at the local level: The case study of Bavaria	View Paper Details
The great net-zero balancing act: ambition, durability, credibility and justice in local climate emergency responses	View Paper Details
The role of gendered norms and politics in the shaping of sustainable transport planning in Swedish municipalities	View Paper Details
Urban climate leadership in spatial planning – innovative policy tools and planning instruments for climate transition	View Paper Details
Which local factors shape low-carbon transformations in mid-sized cities? A comparison of industrial, World Heritage and university cities in Germany	View Paper Details