Climate change governance

Climate change is a major challenge for human society in the 21st century and an important issue in the context of sustainable development governance. As the density of institutions in global climate governance increases, so does the potential for overlap and interaction between the various elements of institutions. The current global climate governance issue is no longer solely a state-centric governance model but presents a complex manifestation of multiple mechanisms (Zhang & Bai, 2023).

Global climate governance was formalised through the UNFCCC in 1992 with the purpose of promoting opportunities and prompt action to address climate change. It involves different institutions, state and public administrative systems, and private actors, including the business sector, as well as civil society and non-governmental organisations. Climate change governance deals with both mitigation and adaptation actions whilst at the same time trying to devise effective ways of managing the consequences of these measures across the different sectors (Knieling & Leal Filho, 2014).

By dealing with mitigation and adaptation actions, climate change governance also aims to reduce the causes of anthropogenic climate change globally. This is done through the adoption of measures that either lower the release of carbon emissions or remove carbon emissions currently in the atmosphere, while adjusting locally to the impacts of both anthropogenic and natural climate change through initiatives that prevent or minimise harm as well as exploit opportunities generated by changes to the climate system (Alberton, 2022).

To tackle climate change issues, both local and international institutions are involved.