Institutional Capacity for Climate Change Responses: An Examination of Construction and Pathways in Mexico City and Santiago

Patricia Romero-Lankao, Sara Hughes, Angelica Rosas-Huerta, Roxana Borquez and Daniel M Gnatz
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Patricia Romero-Lankao: Climate Science and Applications Program, National Center for Atmospheric Research, PO Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307, USA
Sara Hughes: Metropolitan Autonomous University, Clz. del Hueso 1100, Villa Quietud, Coyoacán, D. F. CP 04960, Mexico
Angelica Rosas-Huerta: Corporación Proyecta, Center for Climate and Resilience Research, Avenida Blanco Encalada 2002, Santiago, Chile
Daniel M Gnatz: Nova Southeastern University, 3301 College Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA

Environment and Planning C, 2013, vol. 31, issue 5, 785-805

Abstract: Scholars have focused on understanding the motivations behind urban authorities' efforts to respond to climate change, yet the determinants of institutional response capacity are less well known, particularly in Latin America. This paper develops a framework to understand the political–economic determinants of institutional response capacity through an examination of climate change governance in Mexico City and Santiago, Chile. We ask whether being a frontrunner (Mexico City) is an indicator of greater institutional response capacity. Although Mexico City has slightly higher levels of institutional capacity than Santiago, both are faced with similar challenges, such as fragmented governance arrangements, asymmetries in access to information, and top-down decision making. However, both also have similar opportunities, such as leadership, participation in transnational networks, and potential to integrate climate change goals into existing policy agendas. Examining urban climate change planning in isolation from other institutions is therefore likely to provide a false sense of a city's response capacity.

Keywords: institutional capacity; climate change responses; urban; Latin America (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:envirc:v:31:y:2013:i:5:p:785-805

DOI: 10.1068/c12173

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