Local Responses to a Global Challenge: A Comparative Analysis of How Local Government In Cork City And Uppsala is Adapting to the Climate Crisis

The role, scope and functions of local government in Ireland have historically been limited compared to other European countries. Local government in Ireland is one of the most centralised in Europe, it lacks financial autonomy and as a result its functions have been hollowed out. In contrast, local government in Sweden is better resourced and less decentralised. Contextually, this paper examines and compares how local government in Cork and Uppsala is responding and adapting to the climate crisis. My working hypothesis is that the response to the climate crisis in Sweden is more advanced in terms of policies and programmes (adaptation plans, for instance) than in Ireland. To test this tentative claim my key research question is: How have local authorities in Cork City Council and Uppsala municipality responded to the climate crisis and what have been the impacts and outcomes of that response? There has been a proliferation of climate initiatives in recent years from the global, regional and nation level aiming to reduce carbon emissions. There is a wealth of research explaining this at the macro level, yet much less attention has been given to the role of local government, which remains relatively under-researched and under-analysed. Analysing the role of European local government is critically important as the continent of Europe is heating faster than any other continent-twice as fast as the global average. This paper will analyse both jurisdictions response by conducting a comparative case study looking at the differences, contrasts and similarities in their implementation of national and EU climate legislation. Focusing on the institutional response and climate policies of local authorities will help to develop a more robust understanding of the intensifying climate challenges local authorities will face in the future, as well as potentially informing and strengthening future local climate policy aims.