Interrogating the multilevel governance of climate change responses in Mbabane, Eswatini

Climate change (CC) governance is critical towards responding to CC impacts, though little research has focused on multilevel governance (MLG) systems in cities of the global South. This study explores the multilevel governance of CC towards addressing climate hazards in the Municipality of Mbabane. We adopted a qualitative research approach and utilised in-depth interview guides to gather empirical evidence from twelve purposely selected city key informants who worked with CC initiatives in Mbabane. Our findings show that the Government of Eswatini and the Municipality of Mbabane established multiple institutions and coordinated the enactment of various policies to implement CC responses. However, the multiplicity of policies created challenges for CC integration and guiding implementation. In addition, the loosely organised national and local institutions and committees lacked expertise, capacity, and supporting budgets. The CC interventions in Mbabane are aligned with the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) processes, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement; however, they tend to be project-based initiatives funded by development agencies, which affects upscaling and replication. Eswatini, like many countries in the global South, faces competing development priorities such as job creation, inequality, eradicating poverty, and HIV/AIDS, which relegate CC responses. The study recommends that the Government of Eswatini should enact a CC legislation that establishes institutions with clear mandates and funding mechanisms to support climate action.