Addressing the Climate Crisis Local action in theory and practice

This open access book brings together a collection of cutting-edge insights into how action can and is already being taken against climate change at multiple levels of our societies, amidst growing calls for transformative and inclusive climate action. In an era of increasing recognition regarding climate and ecological breakdown, this book offers hope, inspiration and analyses for multi-level climate action, spanning varied communities, places, spaces, agents and disciplines, demonstrating how the energy and dynamism of local scales are a powerful resource in turning the tide. Interconnected yet conceptually distinct, the book’s three sections span multiple levels of analysis, interrogating diverse perspectives and practices inherent to the vivid tapestry of climate action emerging locally, nationally and internationally. Delivered in collaboration with the UK’s ‘Place-Based Climate Action Network’, chapters are drawn from a wide range of authors with varying backgrounds spread acrossacademia, policy and practice.

Section 1: Community and place in local climate praxis.- 1.Local climate praxis in practice: Community climate action in Belfast.- 2.Putting the ‘Place’ in place-based climate action: Insights from climate adaptation initiatives across Scotland.- 3.A commoner’s climate movement.- 4.The Envirolution Revolution: Raising awareness of climate change creatively through free and accessible community engagement festivals.- Section 2: The spaces of local climate action.- 5.How have climate emergency declarations helped local government action to decarbonise?.- 6.Developing a carbon baseline to support multi-stakeholder, multi-level climate governance at county level.- 7.Power in practice: reflecting on the first year of the Edinburgh Climate Commission.- 8.How can ‘ordinary’ cities become climate pioneers?.- Section 3: The agents of local climate action.- 9.Effective communication on local adaptation: considerations for providers of climate change advice and support.-10.Diversifying the private sector in local climate commissions.- 11.Citizens’ assemblies and juries on climate change: Lessons from their use in practice.- 12.Rebecca WellsUniversities as living labs for climate praxis.