Cities’ Engagement in Global Climate Change Politics

I seek to probe when and why some cities circumvent the nation-states and go international in addressing climate change. Traditionally, international relations scholars have regarded states as the primary actors that have political authority and sovereignty. However, in the actual world, cities are on the frontlines to deal with global climate change by creating transnational partnerships and international organizations to represent their collective interests and pursue environmental values, as both significant contributors and vulnerable entities to climate change. I seek to reveal the conditions and underlying mechanisms in which cities jump into global climate change initiatives. By examining interactions between substate and state actors, we can gain a more insightful perspective and grasp a more complete and vivid picture of world politics.