A multilevel and multiactor analysis reveals governance gaps in translating global climate resilience frameworks into urban green infrastructure planning

Abstract In the current climate emergency, enhancing resilience and developing sustainable urban models represent an ongoing challenge, drawing on robust theoretical frameworks to support various management and planning strategies for the territorial organization of cities. The global environmental agenda, systematized in international treaties and agreements, provides a comprehensive framework for the development of urban resilience policies across multiple levels of government. This article integrates three analytical axes: (1) the conceptualization of Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) and Urban Ecosystem Services (UES) as Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) solutions, and their interconnection with urban resilience planning processes; (2) an analysis of how the theoretical frameworks of the global environmental agenda are incorporated across different levels of government (national, provincial, and municipal), examining their application in urban planning public policies and their alignment with the climate agenda; and (3) a comparison between the normative analysis and the perspectives of fourteen key actors—including two government officials and twelve academics and professionals—gathered through semi-structured interviews and questionnaires with those involved in regulatory management, enforcement, and the production of professional knowledge. This study employs a multilevel case study approach, examining national environmental regulations in Argentina and subnational policy frameworks for the Province and City of Córdoba. It is concluded that, at the subnational level, regulations are outdated and lack harmonization with global theoretical frameworks. Furthermore, public managers lack technical capacities, and ecological criteria are absent from UGI planning and design processes, perpetuating a fragmented governance regime that undermines urban resilience.