The Role of Subnational Authorities’ Climate Action in Transition to Zero Carbon Societies

The low-carbon transition demands action on different levels of governance: from global to the local level. Action facilitated and decisions taken in subnational governance – by regions, cities, and municipalities – represent a feasible mechanism to turn global pledges into concrete action with measurable impacts. The importance of subnational authorities’ efforts to climate change mitigation has been acknowledged also in the context of the Paris Agreement. Non-Party stakeholders are invited to scale up their efforts and support actions to reduce emissions, to build resilience, and decrease vulnerability to the adverse effects of climate change. The chapter is interested in how a more central role of subnational authorities, especially cities and municipalities as climate actors, is facilitated through law. The chapter aims to advance the scholarly discourse on subnational low-carbon transition from the perspective of the role of regional governance from the legal perspective. To produce tangible analysis, the chapter focuses on discussing three different types of responsibilities carried out by the local authority in their everyday activity: public procurement; statutory duties for environmental protection and climate impacts; and climate policy plans.