Highlights•Local governments are crucial actors in the multi-level climate governance
system.•A massive upscaling of local climate policies is key to achieving the 1.5 C …

Policy directives in several nations are focusing on the development of smart cities, linking
innovations in the data sciences with the goal of advancing human well-being and …

Cities are formalising collaborations across borders at an unprecedented rate:'city networks'
now form a wide ecosystem of global partnerships between local authorities that is often …

National climate institutions structure the process of climate mitigation policymaking and
shape climate policy ambition and performance. Countries have, for example, been building …

Despite the proliferation and promise of subnational climate initiatives, the institutional
architecture of transnational municipal networks (TMNs) is not well understood. With a view …

Cities are crucial climate change actors, developing largely voluntary action plans and
emission reduction targets. There is limited evidence, however, of their impact through …

Polycentric governance involves multiple actors at multiple scales beyond the state. The
potential of polycentric governance for promoting both climate mitigation and adaptation is …

Policy entrepreneurs are energetic actors who work with others in and around policymaking
venues to promote significant policy change. After several decades of study, we know a lot …

Adapting to some level of climate change has become unavoidable. However, there is
surprisingly limited systematic knowledge about whether and how adaptation policies have …

Networked urban governance is emerging as a major feature of metropolitan strategy and
activity. The field of urban studies is yet to deeply engage in the debates on the new forms of …