148 ■ CITIES AND CLIMATE CHANGE
development of climate change policy in Portland, Oregon, energy effi ciency
is a particularly powerful mobilizing device because it can “advance diverse
(and oft en divergent) goals in tandem,” serving to translate various interests
into those concerning climate change and eff ectively forging new alliances.
In our case studies, concerns over energy security and the economic benefi ts
of energy savings are serving to push energy effi ciency actions up the climate
change agenda. At present, this eff ort appears primarily directed toward corpo-
rate and government buildings rather than the domestic housing stock, which
suggests that our case studies refl ect a diff erence in approach from that which
dominates municipalities in Australia, Europe, and North America where
interventions in the domestic sphere have been much more common. Th is
focus could bring a distinct politics to energy effi ciency in the built environ-
ment in cities in the global South, resting more on the involvement of corporate
partners and their corporate social responsibility agendas than the involvement
of individual householders, refl ecting a diff erent “geography” of responsibility
for emissions reductions in these places. With respect to urban infrastructures,
notable mainly for their absence in the eff orts to date to mitigate climate change
across these case studies are initiatives to promote or develop sizable renewable
energy installations. Th is may refl ect the fi nding by Lasco and others (2007, 17)
that a “discourse of unrealism” with respect to renewables that is more extreme
than is warranted appears to have taken hold and be widely accepted. Also in
contrast with research on cities in other parts of the world, attempts to address
GHG emissions from the transport sector are more common than might be
expected, though here the predominant motivations are addressing air quality
and health concerns and reducing congestion. Nonetheless, potential is seen
for considerable side benefi ts in terms of reductions of GHG emissions to be
realized as municipalities in the global South seek to tackle this most promi-
nent of local environmental concerns.
Drivers for Action
In common with previous research, our case studies suggest that the four fac-
tors of leadership, the authority of local governments, resources, and issue
framing have been critical drivers for climate policy and action.
In terms of leadership, we fi nd that individual political champions, such as
the mayor of Yogyakarta, have been important in terms of driving initiatives
forward. More important, though, have been opportunities for the municipal-
ity to display “global” leadership on issues of climate change and environment.
In three of our case studies (Beijing, Cape Town, and Delhi), the window of
opportunity created by global sporting events has been used as a vehicle for
promoting action on climate change within the city. In Seoul, membership in
the C40 network and the forthcoming meeting in May 2009 were also seen