Talk the Talk and Walk the Walk: Analysing Changing Urban Governance Practices in response to Climate Change

As nation-states are further lowering their climate ambitions in response to the economic crises, a neo-liberal ideology of a small state, and an ecological modernisation rationale, the challenge seems to have been picked up by lower tier governments such as cities. The C40 Cities Climate Leadership group of mega cities addressing climate change is an example of this new reality. They group indicates that the cities combined have about 4700 actions directed at mitigation and adaptation. However, the question remains whether these actions have resulted in different practices within the cities’ institutional setting. This research uses a survey of the C40 cities in order to investigate the lasting impact of participation in a global network aimed at combating climate change. We use practice theory to analyse how well embedded these new practices are in the urban governance regime. We also analyse what dimensions are particularly relevant to these changing practices. The preliminary results seem to indicate cities more at the centre of the C40 network are also impacted the most in their daily governance practice. Yet the changing practices are primarily associated with spatial departments such as transport and spatial development.