NIBR REPORT 2020:8 NORWEGIAN INSTITUTE FOR URBAN AND REGIONAL RESEARCH NIBR Urban climate governance and co-creation In Cape Town, Copenhagen, Gothenburg and Oslo Edited by Hege Hofstad and Trond Vedeld Urban climate governance and co-creation – in Cape Town, Copenhagen, Gothenburg and Oslo Other publications from NIBR NIBR-rapport 2019:15 Folkehelse og sosial bærekraft - en sammenligning og diskusjon av begrepsinnhold, målsettinger og praktiske tilnærminger NIBR-rapport 2019:11 Viken og delregionene – samfunnsutvikling og bærekraft, utfordringer og muligheter NIBR-rapport 2019:10 Regional bolig-, areal- og transportplanlegging – status og utviklingsmuligheter NIBR-rapport 2019:6 Samskaping som samarbeids- og styringsform for kommunenes folkehelsearbeid: Hva vet vi? Hva er utfordrende? Og hvor går vi videre? NIBR-rapport 2015:26 Forskning for framtidens byer. Status og utfordringer i møte med en ny global agenda. NIBR-notat 2011:118 Grønn økonomi og Rio+20. ”Business-as-usual” eller nytt paradigme? Title: Urban climate governance and co-creation – in Cape Town, Copenhagen, Gothenburg and Oslo Authors: Hege Hofstad and Trond Vedeld (editors) NIBR Report: 2020:8 ISSN: 1502-9794 ISBN: 978-82-8309-309-4 Project name: Governing the Green Shift in Oslo, Gothenburg, Copenhagen and Cape Town through Leadership of Co-creation (GreenGov) (2017-2021) Financial supporter: Research Council of Norway (Grant 270668) Head of project: Hege Hofstad Abstract: The study provides an outline and comparative analysis of the evolution in climate policies and governance systems of four cities with ambitious climate goals and strategies; three Scandinavian cities, Copenhagen, Gothenburg and Oslo; and one South African city; Cape Town. In each city, we explore the evolution in climate goals, strategies, policy and institutional designs over two decades and how these materialize in distinct approaches to urban climate governance and co-creation. Our aim is to shed light on different – and similar - paths to urban climate governance among forerunning cities with bold climate goals i.e. in terms of embracing a coherent climate policy for mitigation, adaptation, climate equity and sustainable urban futures. The study adopts a polycentric governing perspective (multilevel and multi-actor). The empirical findings from the four city case studies are based on reviews of key climate change-relevant policy documents and websites (through 2019) and a set of key informant interviews. In each of the cities, we find that urban climate governance is manifest in a mix of traditional governance mechanisms, and new, more innovative co-creational instruments through hybrid forms of governance. The study brings up some distinctive and important differences in the urban climate policies and governing approaches between the three Scandinavian cities and Cape Town, but the study also reveals many similarities in approaches across all the four cities. All the cities engage in diverse networks and co-creational arenas for shared climate responses at different levels and scales. Drawing upon the comparative experiences of urban climate governance all these forerunning cities, ‘eight essentials for effective, sustainable and fair urban climate governance and leadership’ are suggested that might bring cities onto pathways towards climate transformation. Summary: English Date: June 2020 Pages: 111 Publisher: Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University Postboks 4 St. Olavs plass 0130 OSLO Telephone: (+47) 67 23 50 00 E-mail: [email protected] http://www.oslomet.no/nibr © NIBR 2020 Preface This study provides an outline and comparative analysis of the evolution in climate goals, policies and governance systems of four cities with ambitious climate goals and strategies; three Scandinavian cities, Copenhagen, Gothenburg and Oslo; and one South African city; Cape Town. The study explores changes in urban climate responses over two decades and how these materialize in distinct approaches to urban climate governance and co-creation. The study reveals that the cities exhibit varying outcomes in terms of changes in climate goals, policies, organization, and interactional relationships related to national and transnational city networks and arenas. There are, however, both some common, distinct features of a ‘Scandinavian model’ of urban climate governance as well as several general features across all the four cities which provides specific lessons for urban climate governance. Drawing upon the observations from the four cities, the authors suggest ‘eight essentials for effective, sustainable and fair urban climate governance and leadership’ that can bring cities on to pathways towards climate transformation. The study is a product of the four years project: Governing the Green Shift in Oslo, Gothenburg, Copenhagen and Cape Town through Leadership of Co-creation (GreenGov) (2017-2021). The project is led by NIBR-OsloMet. The project is funded by the Research Council of Norway (Grant 270668).1 GreenGov is a partnership between NIBR-Oslo Metropolitan University, Roskilde School of Governance/Roskilde University, Mistra Urban Future/Chalmers University of Technology, and the University of Cape Town/Energy Research Centre/African Centre for Cities. The authors greatly acknowledge the contributions from the many key informants in each of the cities, and the financial support provided by the Research Council of Norway. The name and affiliation of the contributing authors are provided below. Oslo, June 2020 Geir Heierstad Institute Director Erik Henningsen Research Director 1 https://blogg.hioa.no/greengov/ 1 Table of Contents Preface ............................................................................................................................................. 1 Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 5 List of contributors......................................................................................................................... 6 1 Introduction: Cities and climate governance ..................................................................... 7 1.1 Background ....................................................................................................................... 7 1.2 Aims and scope ................................................................................................................. 8 1.3 Analytical approach and methodology .............................................................................. 9 1.3.1 Analytical approach ....................................................................................................... 9 1.3.2 Methodology and approach ......................................................................................... 12 1.4 Introduction to the cities .................................................................................................. 13 2 Cape Town: Facilitating coalitions for climate change? .................................................. 14 2.1 Background to urban climate governance ...................................................................... 14 2.1.1 Political system, administration and organization of climate governance .................. 14 2.1.2 Municipal finances and engagement of key actors ..................................................... 15 2.1.3 Social and eco-climatic conditions .............................................................................. 15 2.2 Main climate governance approach: climate goals and organizational structure ........... 17 2.2.1 Climate goals and strategies ....................................................................................... 17 2.2.2 Evolution in climate goals and strategies .................................................................... 19 2.3 Creation of partnerships and governance networks ....................................................... 20 2.4 Preliminary observations on the emergence of collaborative governance and co- creational leadership ..................................................................................................... 22 3 Copenhagen: Fading international star? ........................................................................... 24 3.1 Background to urban climate governance ...................................................................... 24 3.1.1 Political system in Copenhagen .................................................................................. 24 3.1.2 Economy and business ............................................................................................... 25 3.1.3 Population, climate change and geography ................................................................ 25 3.1.4 Socio-eco-technical conditions of the city ................................................................... 27 3.2 Main climate governance approach: climate goals and organizational structure ........... 27 3.2.1 The first Climate Action Plan launched in 2002: “CO2 plan for Copenhagen 1990– 2010” ........................................................................................................................... 28 3.2.2 The Second Climate Action Plan launched in 2009: The Copenhagen Climate Plan 29 3.2.3 The third Climate strategy “CPH2025” ........................................................................ 31 3.2.4 Other plans relevant for achieving the aims formulated in climate plans