Recognizing that no central authority can combat climate change, scholars have pointed to the potential of polycentric governance in tackling climate change. Yet, empirical evidence for such a claim is scarce, particularly in the Global South. This study analyzes the characteristics, promises, and pitfalls of polycentric governance to promote climate mitigation efforts in three Indian states. Our contribution is twofold: (1) conceptually, we propose a framework to investigate the promises and pitfalls of polycentric climate governance in a federalist system with a particular focus on aspects of scaling and institutionalization, and (2) empirically, we compare solar power development across three Indian states with favorable conditions for solar power but varying performance. Based on a qualitative analysis of interviews and documents, we show how state governments with different party backgrounds have been vital in implementing policy changes and overcoming political barriers. Still, very few bottom-up initiatives exist and were successfully institutionalized.
This article reviews outcomes of the twenty-ninth Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and of the sixth session of the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA6) in the areas of finance, mitigation, just transition, cooperation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, adaptation, loss and damage, and gender. The conclusion of the first Global Stocktake (GST) under the Paris Agreement at COP28 in 2023 had broken new ground in many respects, but had been missing one key element: the enhancement of means of implementation. COP29 in Baku/Azerbaijan had been billed as "finance COP". In addition, it was supposed to build further on the GST outcomes on mitigation and just transition. However, the conference arguably failed on all counts. In view of those shortcomings, and many others over the past decades, discussions about a reform of the COP process and parallel tracks gained renewed momentum.
