Urban Climate Politics: Agency and Empowerment (Earth System Governance)

Since the 1990s, a burgeoning literature has emerged on the politics and governance of urban climate. It is now evident that urban responses to climate change involve a diverse range of actors as well as forms of agency that cross traditional boundaries, and which have diverse consequences for (dis)empowering different social groups. This book provides an overview of the forms of agency in urban climate politics, discussing the friction and power dynamics between them. Written by renowned scholars, it critically assesses the advantages and limitations of increasing agency in urban climate governance. In doing so, it sheds critical new light on the existing literature, advances the state of knowledge of urban climate governance and discusses ways to accelerate urban climate action. With chapters building on case studies from across the world, it is ideal for scholars and practitioners working in the area of urban climate politics and governance. This is one of a series of publications associated with the Earth System Governance Project. For more publications, see (http://www.cambridge.org/earth-system-governance) www.cambridge.org/earth-system-govern... . Contents List of Contributors Acknowledgements 1 Promises and Concerns of the Urban Century: Increasing Agency and Contested Empowerment 2 Unpacking Agency in Global Urban Climate Governance: City Networks as Actors, Agents, and Arenas 3 Empowerment and Disempowerment of Urban Climate Governance Initiatives: An Exploratory Typology of Mechanisms 4 Transnational Municipal Networks and Cities in Climate Governance: Experiments in Brazil 5 Making Climates through the City 6 Cross-Movement Alliances as a Novel Form of Agency to Increase Socially Just Arrangements in Urban Climate Governance 7 The Politics of Data-Driven Urban Climate Change Mitigation 8 Urban Planning for Sustainability and Justice: Lessons from Urban Agriculture 9 Unpacking the Black Box of Urban Climate Agency: (Dis)Empowerment and Inclusion in Local Participatory Processes 10 From Public to Citizen Responsibilities in Urban Climate Adaptation: A Thick Analysis 11 Agency and Climate Governance in African Cities: Lessons from Urban Agriculture 12 The Effects of Transnational Municipal Networks on Urban Climate Politics in the Global South 13 The Politics of Urban Climate Futures: Recognition, Experimentation, Orchestration Index An overview of the forms of agency in urban climate politics, including their strengths, limitations and the power dynamics between them. Written by renowned scholars from around the globe, it is ideal for researchers and practitioners working in the area of urban climate politics and governance.