A PLACE FOR SuBNAtIONAL GOVERNMENtS At thE INtERNAtIONAL CLIMAtE NEGOtIAtING tABLE

The policy brief examines the mismatch between the 'top-down' institutional architecture of the UNFCCC and the critical role subnational governments play in implementing climate mitigation and adaptation. It highlights how rapid global urbanisation increases the importance of cities, yet these entities often lack the legal mandate, finance, and direct access to international negotiating tables. The author discusses the role of transnational actors like ICLEI and C40 in bridging this gap and recommends moving toward a 'co-production' model of governance between national and subnational levels.

• There is a structural mismatch between the international climate governance framework, which is negotiated by and aimed at nation-states, and the actual implementation of climate policies, which often falls to subnational governments.
• Rapid global urbanisation has increased the geopolitical importance of cities; the urban population grew from 43% (2.3 billion) in 1990 to 54% (approximately 4 billion) by 2015, with projections that 70% (7 billion) will live in urban areas by 2050.
• Subnational governments face significant barriers to implementing climate action, including restrictive national finance mechanisms and a lack of legal mandates, despite often having the political will to act.
• Transnational actors and local government associations, such as ICLEI, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, and United Cities for Local Government, act as intermediaries to represent subnational voices and overcome the scale mismatch in international negotiations.
• In Africa, there is a lack of cohesion regarding climate policy at the continental or regional level, though initiatives like the FRACTAL project are working to understand climate change's influence on subnational decision-making across eight cities in seven Southern African countries.
• To improve climate outcomes, the author recommends shifting from a model of 'consultation' to 'co-production' between national and subnational governments and adopting fiscal measures that allow climate finance to move rapidly from donors to local governments.

APA

Moore, L. (2016). A PLACE FOR SuBNAtIONAL GOVERNMENtS At thE INtERNAtIONAL CLIMAtE NEGOtIAtING tABLE. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Policy-Briefing-156.pdf

Chicago

Moore, Luke. A PLACE FOR SuBNAtIONAL GOVERNMENtS At thE INtERNAtIONAL CLIMAtE NEGOtIAtING tABLE. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2016. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Policy-Briefing-156.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Moore |first1=Luke |title=A PLACE FOR SuBNAtIONAL GOVERNMENtS At thE INtERNAtIONAL CLIMAtE NEGOtIAtING tABLE |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=November 2016 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Policy-Briefing-156.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{moore2016place, author = {Moore, Luke}, title = {{A PLACE FOR SuBNAtIONAL GOVERNMENtS At thE INtERNAtIONAL CLIMAtE NEGOtIAtING tABLE}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2016}, month = nov, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Policy-Briefing-156.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }