Global politics has shown increasing interest in cities, particularly in the field of climate policy and governance. Yet, we still have little understanding of which cities engage the most in global urban climate governance. Answering this question is a first step towards understanding who decides for whom in a system that has decisive influence on wider global policy processes. In this article, we seek to identify and analyse the characteristics and position of cities in global urban climate governance to reassess its composition. To do so, we conduct a social network analysis of 15 transnational city networks. Results emphasise that global and large cities are the most central, but small and middle-size cities are the most numerous actors of the system. Global South cities are larger than their Northern counterparts in the system. Those less central and understudied actors likely have less influence over which norms are shared, yet they should not be seen as followers or imitators of climate policy. It is important to pay more attention to them to understand their multifaceted role in cities' collective efforts to address climate change.
Policy Implications
- Global policy makers should pay attention to the climate engagement of all cities, including the numerous small cities and cities from the Global South that all have an interest in developing and enhancing climate policies.
- Transnational city network personnel should promote the work of small cities and cities from the Global South so that more cities, urban researchers, and practitioners can learn from them. They should also broaden their understanding of innovative policy to include more best practices based on traditional learnings, adapted to today's concerns and context.
- Local decision-makers who are not already involved in climate transnational city networks should consider joining one or several networks to enhance their climate policies. Cities might adopt a variety of roles in global urban climate governance. Small cities and cities from the Global South can teach others about their innovative policies.
Photo by Aleksandar Pasaric