Which Governance Factors Drive Urban Zero-Carbon Transformation?

Urban climate action is essential for global carbon neutrality. A study by the German Development Institute has assessed the importance of stakeholder involvement, financing, and impact assessment for urban zero-carbon transformation.

This seven-month project, discussed in this post, produced a comprehensive databank of cities that have won prizes and awards for their sustainability transformation achievements, conducted a global web-based survey on the impact of the respective governance factors on decarbonisation in cities (Governance for Urban Decarbonisation Survey, GUDS), and carried out a pilot study (Bonn, Germany) and two in-depth case studies (Quito, Ecuador; Cape Town, South Africa) of urban zero-carbon action with a focus on greenhouse gas mitigation.

The results show that cities are increasingly active in urban zero-carbon action, that stakeholder involvement can facilitate the process, that financial resources for urban decarbonisation are often inadequate, and that impact assessment is still in the early stages.

Abstract based on source.