Governmental support for local authorities' mitigation activities in Austria, Germany, Japan, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the US (California and Connecticut)

Worldwide greenhouse gas emissions have to be reduced drastically in order to minimise the negative effects of climate change. Within this process, the role of local authorities is of increasing importance. Certain countries are therefore granting more weight to municipalities and cities in order to achieve emissions reduction goals. As such, there are a number of international examples where national and regional authorities successfully promote local climate mitigation. Yet, while efforts began years ago in some cases, only scarce international discussion has taken place. This study therefore aims to open the door to an international debate concerning the governmental promotion of local climate mitigation. Stefanie Schaefter, Till Mohns and Susann Offenmueller investigated cases in Austria, Germany, Japan, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, with specific focus on the states of California and Connecticut. The main questions guiding the research were: Which policies and laws promote local climate mitigation at the national or regional level? What types of instruments and strategies are being used by national and regional authorities? What kinds of platforms exist for thematic exchange, both across communities and between governmental agencies? The study is part of a broader project supported by a grant of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU).