A Multi‐Stakeholder Alliance for Climate Governance: Cities and Regions Need Seats at the COP Table

ABSTRACT Today's global climate policy suffers from a mismatch between governance demand and supply. The practice of climate governance showcases serious shortcomings. Globally, climate targets are agreed but not implemented. At the regional level, especially African stakeholders feel that, by global comparison, their continent is suffering more from climate change, yet they do not receive enough financial support for climate change mitigation and adaptation. At the subnational level, most frustration is coming from cities and regions that are responsible for 60% of climate adaptation. But they neither have a strong voice at the COP negotiation table nor do they receive stable and independent financial support. At grass‐roots level, across the globe, actors no longer operate at the periphery but increasingly shape global climate decisions. The key to providing solutions for effective climate policy is therefore to strengthen its multilevel and multi‐stakeholder character. There is mounting pressure to include local and regional authorities (LRAs) for transformational change in climate governance. LRAs ought to progress from the margins of climate governance to the epicentre of decision‐making, giving regions and cities their rightful place at the COP negotiation table. This year's COP in Antalya would be a good place to start.