Think Global, Act Local: The Role of Regional Actors in Climate Protection

The text examines how regional governments and cities can maintain climate ambitions despite national withdrawals from international agreements, such as the US's proposed exit from the Paris Agreement. It highlights the Under2MoU as a global sub-national alliance and details Baden-Württemberg's legal and strategic approach to climate neutrality, while noting that regional success remains dependent on supportive national and EU frameworks.

• The Under2MoU is the world's largest sub-national alliance against climate change, established in 2015 by California and Baden-Württemberg. It currently consists of 177 partners across 37 countries and six continents, with members committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 percent by 2050 compared to 1990 levels, or to limit per capita emissions to two tons per year.
• Baden-Württemberg has integrated climate protection into law, treating it as a legally-protected public good. The state aims for a 90 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 compared to 1990, and a 25 percent reduction by 2020. Its state administration specifically targets climate neutrality by 2040, having already reduced emissions by 30 percent since 2010.
• Regional climate efforts are constrained by the legal and regulatory frameworks of higher government levels. In Baden-Württemberg, the effectiveness of energy efficiency investments is limited by the European emissions trading system's CO2 prices, and building retrofits are hindered by a lack of national incentives and a nationwide cap on renewable energy expansion.

APA

Untersteller, F. (2017). Think Global, Act Local: The Role of Regional Actors in Climate Protection. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/think-global-act-local-the-role-of-regional-actors-in-climate-protection/

Chicago

Untersteller, Franz. Think Global, Act Local: The Role of Regional Actors in Climate Protection. Green European Journal, 2017. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/think-global-act-local-the-role-of-regional-actors-in-climate-protection/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Untersteller |first1=Franz |title=Think Global, Act Local: The Role of Regional Actors in Climate Protection |publisher=Green European Journal |date=6 September 2017 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/think-global-act-local-the-role-of-regional-actors-in-climate-protection/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{untersteller2017think, author = {Untersteller, Franz}, title = {{Think Global, Act Local: The Role of Regional Actors in Climate Protection}}, publisher = {Green European Journal}, year = {2017}, month = sep, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/think-global-act-local-the-role-of-regional-actors-in-climate-protection/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }