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

2. 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

3. 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....

4. 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?

5. The Climate Change Act: development
Origins in RCEP report (2000) – 80% UK emissions reductions by 2050
High level political support = 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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?

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

10. 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’

11. 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)