There has been an increasing focus upon the role of cities and local government in respect of action upon climate change.

In a recent book on Climate Change and Global Energy Security, Marilyn Brown and Benjamin Sovacool highlight the benefits of local action on climate change. The pair commented that small-scale and local actions can promote experimentation and innovation: ‘Local actions can create competition that can optimize environmental policy and create ‘laboratories of democracy’ that experiment in crafting better policies.” Brown and Sovacool elaborated: ‘These benefits include experimentation and innovation, more flexibility, greater accountability and participation, simplicity, and positive competition among local actors that sometimes race to the top to craft better policies.’

In his edited collection on Local Climate Change Law: Environmental Regulation in Cities and Other Localities, Benjamin Richardson from the University of Tasmania observed that: ‘Efforts to deal with climate change increasingly recognize that cities, on the other one hand, are significant hubs of economy activity and major contributors to Greenhouse Gas Emissions, but, on the other hand, are also particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change such as rising sea levels and heat island effects due to their infrastructure and highly concentrated populations.’ Richardson acknowledged that ‘municipal administrations that govern cities and other localities can help address climate change.’ Richardson also foresees that ‘local governments are seeking to become transnational actors and to acquire a voice in international environmental regulation and policy, including climate change governance.’

It is worthwhile considering developments in respect of local government and climate change in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia; the United States; and at an international level.

1. Australian Capital Territory The ACT Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Simon Corbell

On 2 May 2014, Simon Corbell presented a paper on ‘Canberra’s Low Carbon Future’ at the ANU College of Law. Simon Corbell is the ACT Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Attorney-General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, and Minister for Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations. He has been keen to position the ACT as a national renewable energy leader in Australia.

The ACT Government has enacted a number of legislative reforms to help promote a low carbon future in the national capital of Australia — including the Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act 2010 (ACT), the Energy Electricity Feed-in (Renewable Energy Premium) Act 2008 (ACT), the Electricity Feed-in (Large-scale Renewable Energy Generation) Act 2011 (ACT), and The Energy Efficiency (Cost of Living) Improvement Act 2012 (ACT).

The Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act 2010 (ACT) mandates 40% below 1990 emission levels by 2020 (a reduction of approx 2 million tonnes C02e per annum); Peaking emissions per capita by 2013; 80% below 1990 emissions levels by 2050; and a 90% renewable electricity supply by 2020. Simon Corbell is confident that such targets are achievable and affordable. Solar Capital

Simon Corbell aims for Canberra to become a solar capital. He has elaborated upon his ambitions for Canberra to become a clean tech centre:

Canberra’s renewable energy future is already taking shape. The 20MW Royalla Solar Farm is now under construction south of the city. Being developed by the international solar company FRV, Royalla will deliver enough energy to power about 5000 homes, abating 700,000 tonnes of carbon during its operational life. When completed later this year it will be the largest operational photovoltaic solar farm in the country. Two more solar farms to deliver a further 20MW are proposed at Mugga Lane and at Uriarra and are currently at the planning stage. To cut Canberra’s annual carbon emissions by 2 million tonnes by 2020 will require a further 450 MW of renewable energy generating capacity.

The ACT Government is also keen to identify sites and scope next generation energy systems for a 50 MW solar technology innovation precinct. The ACT Government is keen to encourage local research and development into clean technologies. The Minister hopes to leverage Canberra’s world-leading research capacity in photovoltaics and wind resource assessment —at such institutions as Australian National University and CSIRO.