National through to local climate policy in Italy

Abstract

Italy, with 2% of the world's emissions and 13% of the European Union's emissions, has adopted a legally binding commitment to reduce its greenhouse gases emissions by 6.5% below 1990 levels by 2008 – 2012. This target will be reached by implementing both domestic policies (80%) and using the Kyoto mechanisms (20%). The success of the mitigation effort will depend on the coordination of policies at the national and local level and on the incentives and rewards given by the central government for the initiatives undertaken by local ones. This paper addresses the question: What climate change policies are being taken at national level and how are they implemented at or complemented by authorities at a local level? What lessons can one learn regarding the vertical interactions between governance levels in the area of climate change? This paper first examines national policy, the division of responsibilities with lower governments, an initiative to reduce emissions at the local level, and initiatives to deal with both adaptation and emission limitation in the highly vulnerable city of Venice. The paper concludes by drawing lessons for the future on the role of local governance on climate change.