Climate Change Adaptation Policies at the Local Level

Abstract

There is now a broad acceptance that society is vulnerable to climate change and variability. That challenge has been addressed mainly at the international and national level. However, adaptation to climate change and extreme weather needs to take place largely at the local level, reflecting the “place-based” character of adaptation. The literature emphasises the significance of locally-focused, downscaled scenarios and prognoses, as well as ‘place-based’ responses to climate vulnerability, as the main impacts of climate change are experienced by local communities. Nevertheless, empirical studies show a lack of systematic climate adaptation work at local level, due to budgetary constraints, inadequate size, conflicting objectives and coordination problems. In recent years, climate change adaptation have started to gain political focus at the local level, and the interest on local adaptation strategies and polices has proliferated. The panel invites both empirical and theoretical papers, demonstrating how climate change adaptation is being introduced to local political agendas, and how local governments deal with the climate change policies. The panel aims to illuminate the barriers and potential of climate change adaptation in governance systems, organizational structure and political focus at local level. We are also interested in papers shedding light on how multilevel governance dynamics (climate change adaptation policies on regional and national level) affect the adaptation capacity of local government. Both case studies, as well as comparative papers are welcome.

Title	Details
Local leadership in front of climate change adaptation	View Paper Details
Power and capacity in local climate governance: Comparing English and German municipalities	View Paper Details
Trans-local action and local innovations in climate change policy. A comparative analysis of German major cities	View Paper Details