CHALLENGES OF LOCAL CLIMATE ACTION: THE CASE OF THE FORMULATION OF COMMUNAL CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION PLANS IN CHILE

Abstract

The Framework Climate Change Law mandated Chilean municipalities to develop local climate change action plans within three years. Two years after the law's promulgation, only 2% of municipalities have completed formulating these plans. To investigate the factors leading to this outcome, we combine a nationwide data collection effort with interviews in eleven municipalities. We examine the role of five variables in the development of plans: political will, financial resources, technical capacity, previous environmental experience, and participation in support networks. The study indicates that the formulation of local climate change action plans, as proposed by the law in a standardized manner, proves challenging for many municipalities, particularly due to a lack of support from other levels of government. Considering the previous trajectory in local climate action, there was potential for greater upscaling.