Climate Governance and Federalism in Spain

Abstract

Climate change governance in Spain is framed between international commitments and EU legislation and encompasses several levels of government and stakeholders. Numerous climate strategies and policies have been adapted at all territorial levels over the last decade, however, there are no formal vertical channels of influence for Autonomous Communities (ACs) or local actors on policy formulation at the federal level, which limit climate policy diffusion at the vertical dimension. Moreover, the coordination mechanisms for the implementation of climate policies are not very effective and do not consider the early phases of public action nor the participation of all involved authorities. However, the ACs and local governments have ample room for policy experimentalism in adapting their climate change strategies to the peculiarities of their different territories. In this regard the Spanish State of Autonomies has provided a favourable context for policy experimentalism in climate change governance, but not a favourable framework for effective decision-making between levels of government.