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A Decade of Climate Action and the Mission towards Climate Neutrality and Adaptation in European Cities: Delivering Urban Transformations?

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  • Ana Corrêa do Lago

    (Centro de Innovación en Tecnología para el Desarrollo Humano, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (itdUPM), 28040 Madrid, Spain)

  • Teresa Sánchez Chaparro

    (Centro de Innovación en Tecnología para el Desarrollo Humano, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (itdUPM), 28040 Madrid, Spain
    Department of Organizational Engineering, Business Administration and Statistics, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28006 Madrid, Spain)

  • Julio Lumbreras

    (Centro de Innovación en Tecnología para el Desarrollo Humano, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (itdUPM), 28040 Madrid, Spain
    Department of Chemical Engineering and Environment, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28006 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

Climate action in cities is increasingly recognized as of strategic importance to accomplish the global governance of climate change. In Europe, cities are adopting a “mission approach” to accelerate urban transformations and reach climate neutrality targets by 2030. While the “Mission” unfolds, it is worth acknowledging that in the last decade, cities in Europe have engaged in climate action. Through a selection of empirical case studies, this review examines the main governance approaches that have been used to analyze the implementation of transformative adaptation and mitigation measures in the Global North. This approach aims to respond to the gap between policy rhetoric of urban transformations and the realities of on-the-ground implementation. This systematic literature review asks the following question: what are the challenges and key success factors amongst the governance approaches that have informed the implementation of transformative climate agendas in cities of the Global North? The findings cover conceptual approaches to analyze the governance of urban transformations, and cases illustrate the challenges in mainstreaming climate action, even in cities that are environmental champions. The need to strengthen collaborations to deliver transformative interventions is raised, while the authors also caution about power imbalances in network governance.

Suggested Citation

  • Ana Corrêa do Lago & Teresa Sánchez Chaparro & Julio Lumbreras, 2023. "A Decade of Climate Action and the Mission towards Climate Neutrality and Adaptation in European Cities: Delivering Urban Transformations?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-13, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:24:p:16665-:d:1296367
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Giles Thomson & Peter Newman, 2020. "Cities and the Anthropocene: Urban governance for the new era of regenerative cities," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 57(7), pages 1502-1519, May.
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