Climate governance: assessing the scope for national policy learning David Benson (University of Exeter) and Irene Lorenzoni (UEA)

Overview Research context and aims Comparative research on CC governance in the UK and California Lesson drawing for Chinese governance The UK Climate Change Act 2008: Development, critical features, implementation, lessons Analysing the scope for lesson drawing Lesson drawing: theory Analysis of the CCA Conclusions and future research Overview

Research context Current international climate mitigation responses = conflict, apathy and inaction However, climate change = multi-level governance = responses at multiple institutional levels Potential scope for inter and cross-scale learning to support international action Potential most visible at the state or national level - emerging responses in empirical studies (e.g. Nature Climate Change, 2013) A powerful source of comparative learning....

Research aims Research into the scope for lesson drawing as part of UK FCO sponsored project Examining mitigation measures in the CCA and Californian AB32 Potential transfer of measures to China (Guangdong, national 5 year plan) Questions: What can China learn from the UK and Californian experience for climate governance? What is the scope for lesson drawing?

The Climate Change Act: development Origins in RCEP report (2000) – 80% UK emissions reductions by 2050 High level political support 2004-2005 = Tony Blair (EU and G8 Presidency) NGO campaigning for legal emissions targets leads to parliamentary legislative proposal 2006 Cross party and cross sectoral consensus Debate in UK Parliament – strengthens the proposal Climate Change Act 2008

The Climate Change Act: critical features Emissions targets and budgeting Target of 80% reduction in GHG by 2050 (using 1990 baseline) Multi-annual carbon budgets Government Committee on Climate Change Trading schemes Adaptation measures – sectoral reporting

The Climate Change Act: implementation UK is broadly on target to meet climate budgets But current political situation has made implementation difficult – energy is a key sector The current Coalition government is shifting support away from renewables towards gas generation (‘the dash for gas’) putting future implementation at risk However, CCA legal targets have prevented political back sliding

The Climate Change Act: lessons Legally binding and ambitious mitigation targets can be introduced at the national level which go far beyond international agreements Such targets can help ‘lock-in’ mitigation beyond political/economic change Measures can be supported by wide sections of society and different political groupings Positive lessons for other states - but to what extent can this approach be transferred extraterritorially?

Lesson drawing: theory Benson 2009; Benson et al. 2012

Analysis What can be learnt from the UK experience? Initial research demonstrates that ambitious climate mitigation policy is possible and can work – but context is critical.... So what is the scope for lesson drawing? Comparative analysis of UK, California and China contexts to assess the degree of ‘fit’

Conclusions Current international climate governance typified by apathy, conflict and inaction But national/state scale innovation provides a potentially positive source of lesson drawing UK CCA provides some lessons for Chinese governance – more analysis needed Future research Analysing evaluative mechanisms Analysing other examples for lesson drawing (Mexico)