Understanding the Roles and Interactions of International Cooperation on Domestic Climate Policies: Editorial

Abstract

Introduction: The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change defines the principle of common but differentiated responsibility (Art. 4.1 of UNFCCC). It is the common responsibility of all countries to pursue mitigation actions so as to achieve climate stabilization. The differentiated nature of historic responsibility, capabilities and economic situation creates a responsibility for developed countries to support mitigation actions in developing countries, for example by paying for the agreed incremental costs of climate policies in developing countries (Art. 4.3). Over the last year an inspiring and fruitful dialogue has developed, with international negotiators and policy researchers exploring options and mechanisms to facilitate this cooperation. Rather than proposing or favouring any specific mechanism, this Special Issue of Climate Policy provides bottom-up evidence from six casestudies in developing countries. They explore how domestic actions in the transport, power, industry and agricultural sectors can shift those sectors to a lowcarbon growth path, and analyse the drivers and barriers for such actions. The studies then explore what type of international support is suitable to enhance the scale, scope and speed of implementation. ...