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Climate policy integration as a necessity for an efficient climate policy

2009; IOP Publishing; Volume: 6; Issue: 58 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1088/1755-1307/6/8/582017

1755-1307

P Mickwitz, S Beck, A Jensen, Anders Branth Pedersen, C Görg, M Melanen, N Ferrand, Christian Kuhlicke, W Kuindersma, M Máñez, H Reinert, S van Bommel,

Environmental Policies and Emissions

issues in recent years have been allocated resources in both national and local budgets.It remains to be seen how permanent those resources will be, however.Yet, even more important than incorporating climate policy integration more deeply into policy strategies is extending it more fully to specific policy instruments.This means new policy instruments as well as changing the way in which the present instruments are shaped and implemented.Across countries and regions the need to deepen climate policy integration into spatial planning and governmental budgeting is common.In addition, too frequently, mitigation is seen as concerning just one policy level or, if several levels are concerned, they are viewed as simply a top-down control problem.This study has clearly shown that both mitigation and adaptation concerns all levels from the local to the global and that the interactions between levels are complex and multidirectional.The carbon neutrality aim declared by municipalities such as Skive, Frederikshavn and Samsø in Denmark and Kuhmoinen, Mynämäki, Padasjoki, Parikkala and Uusikaupunki in Finland is far in advance of national ambitions.More importantly than just examining intentions, it is clear that in many mitigation-related decisions the conditions are generally set locally or the decisions are even made by municipalities.Local authorities usually develop land use plans that greatly influence the need for transport system and possible modes of mobility, including the extent and form of public transport.Municipalities also greatly influence the possibilities of different forms of energy production and, through procurement, energy use.The list could be made much longer.It is beyond doubt that mitigation is also an issue for local politicians and administrations, as well as for those making decisions at the national, EU or UN level.Conclusions: There is a clear political opportunity to address climate change more broadly than ever before.In order to make the most of this opportunity, however, it is absolutely essential that climate change be integrated into decision making on issues such as energy security and taken into account in the responses to the economic recession.Furthermore, since strategies and programmes seldom shape societies and transform economies on their own, successful climate policy integration requires: -more integration of climate policy aims in specific policy instruments; -full recognition of the multi-level governance nature of climate policy; -the ability to handle controversies; and more emphasis on policy evaluation and assessments of climate impacts.