From Kyoto to the Town Hall: Making International and National Climate Policy Work at the Local Level

By: Lennart J. Lundqvist and Anders Biel

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Synopsis: International agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol, EU regulation and country-specific national climate policies offer some hope of addressing climate change. But all too often implementation of these high level objectives is derailed at the sub-national, local and - perhaps most important - individual level, by a variety of structural, policy and perceived barriers that result in a failure of effective action. Drawing on original research from Sweden, a world leader in effective environmental solutions, this volume examines the difficulties of aligning climate policy from international to national and sub-national levels. The authors address the full range of barriers and complexities, including governance structures, the relationship between 'experts' and the public, political feasibility, tax measures, perceptions of 'fairness' and self-interest, and the importance of environmental values. Also covered are the roles and perceptions of organizations and professions, the place of carbon-free technologies (such as wind power), the relationship between national and EU regulations, and the monumental challenge of governing the climate in a bordered and divided world. This volume is a vital source of information for all those seeking to create effective, coordinated responses to the challenge of climate change.