Local Action • Multilevel climate governance & the integration of local governments
Our first country-based studies (Germany, Canada, France, Brazil) show that few cities are subject to climate obligations. Local governments are more willing to be involved in the formulation phases and as vectors of national and sectoral policies.
This analysis looks at multilevel climate governance in four countries (Brazil, Canada, France, and Germany).
In Germany, Canada and Brazil, the federal state legislates little or nothing on the climate obligations and competences of municipalities, whose action depends much more on the level of ambition and disparate policies of intermediary governments, and on calls for projects or specific funds available, most often sectoral ones. Few of them are therefore required to adopt and monitor the implementation of a climate plan.
Local governments are more willing to be involved in the formulation phases and as vectors of national and sectoral policies. Few experiences show that their achievements are taken into account to re-evaluate and adjust national policies, prevented by poorly harmonised monitoring-evaluation methods and poorly centralised information.