Research

Dissertation (Book Project)

The State of Disastrous Climate Policies

What drives subnational governments to take independent actions to address climate change? While national governments have pursued international agreements like the Paris Agreement to combat climate change, many have struggled to enact sufficient domestic policies. This study shifts the focus from national-level responses to the actions of subnational governments—such as states, municipalities, and cities—as autonomous actors in the climate arena. Drawing on a bottom-up approach, it emphasizes the role of subnational governments not as mere audiences in a two-level game but as proactive entities crafting policies that reflect their own motivations and strategic interests.

This dissertation explores the growing phenomenon of subnational governments independently addressing climate change and examines the factors that influence their policy choices. At the heart of the inquiry is a key research question: Why do some subnational governments take the initiative to combat climate change, particularly in the case of a near-public good like reducing carbon emissions? The study investigates the interplay between climate vulnerability—defined by exposure to weather-related disasters—and domestic factors such as renewable energy market size and political orientation, offering a nuanced understanding of subnational climate action.

The project argues that climate vulnerability, particularly the increasing frequency of weather disasters, serves as a catalyst for subnational climate policies. These governments, responding to shifting public perceptions and constituent demands, adopt adaptation strategies to cope with the economic fallout of such disasters. However, the adoption of mitigation measures is more complex, with local renewable energy capacity and progressive political ideologies playing critical roles in determining the extent of such actions.

Employing a robust quantitative analysis, the dissertation presents mixed findings. Subnational governments facing recurrent disasters like floods and tropical cyclones tend to prioritize adaptation measures, while these same experiences seem to hinder the adoption of mitigation policies. However, subnational governments with larger renewable energy sectors and progressive leanings are more likely to adopt mitigation measures when faced with economic losses from climate-related events and a growing number of disasters over time. This study not only enhances our understanding of subnational climate governance but also highlights the diverse motivations that drive climate action at the subnational level.