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Since the Paris Agreement, European member countries have been committed to mitigating climate change and adapting to its effects. Climate action planning allows cities to organize their approach. It is critical to ensure that investments in infrastructure and services have a low-carbon impact and consider likely climate change perspectives. The output of this process is the climate action plan (CAP): one or more documents where a city sets out its roadmap to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen climate resilience throughout the community. Many cities have already developed and published a Paris Agreement-compatible CAP. The quality and compliance of these plans will also influence the achievement of the goals of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC, 2015). Thus, cities are crucial players in global climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, and how they engage in climate policy is currently under debate. The paper is intended to support technological design, selecting good practices from the latest and most complete ones for climate mitigation and adaptation in urban settings. In particular, the paper focuses on public space and built environment regeneration actions that can tangibly contribute to the global climate resilience movement. Considering the operational difficulty that could arise in planning climate adaptation measures in historical urban contexts, the study critically analyzes current strategies in sedimented landscape realities of high cultural-historical value. The goal is to draw from them a cognitive and expeditious method of intervention that can be reiterated for similar contexts and is compatible with the consistency and value of urban and built heritage. The theme is timely and falls into Sustainable Development Goals No. 11 (sustainable cities and communities) and No. 13 (climate action). • The paper analyses the most recent studies and scientific papers on climate action plans. • Good practices for climate mitigation and adaptation in urban settings are critically investigated. • The study analyses current strategies in sedimented landscape realities of high historical and cultural value. • A toolkit is proposed that can be repurposed for similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While cities have been widely considered to be key sites of ambitious and transformative climate action, it is time to question whether they have adequate tools and mandates to reach their goals in time. In this paper we provide a comprehensive assessment of planned measures in major cities, assessing the distribution of persuasive (soft) versus direct regulatory (hard) and material measures using an urban systems perspective. Examining 1079 climate measures of 19 cities in the global C40 network we find that the majority of measures can be considered as soft measures , focused on raising awareness, incentivising businesses, engaging citizens, and developing new plans. Our cases suggest that cities in the Global South are more focused on hard and material measures and less prone to voluntarism than cities in the Global North. Generally, showing that strategies for sustainability transformations in cities are heavily reliant on voluntarism and persuasion, the article expresses concern for the ability of cities to meet its ambitious targets. The research literature on urban climate governance should expand from its current focus on collaborative, network-based and experimental governance, to reconsider the roles of regulation and control in meeting climate targets. • Provides a comprehensive assessment of planned climate measures in 19 major cities • Analyses 1079 climate measures and categorises into soft, hard and material modes • We find that the majority of measures (more than half) can be considered as soft. • We critically discuss the viability of ambitious climate targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban forests are gaining recognition as a nature-based solution to climate change and other social-environmental issues in cities. Yet, the integration of urban forests may conflict with other climate measures such as urban densification, which may create hostile growing conditions for trees and lead to tree decline or loss. While previous studies have identified conflicts between densification and urban forests, there is a lack of research mapping the relationships among climate action, urban planning, and urban forest policies. This study involved semi-structured interviews with 14 key informants in Metro Vancouver, Canada, a rapidly-densifying region. Twenty-six trade-offs and 24 synergies were identified in five areas/sectors, such as (re)development and infrastructure. While strategic policies often highlighted synergies, policy implementation processes and outcomes often encountered trade-offs due to factors such as limited budgets and low political priority. Notably, most trade-offs and synergies were found in the same areas - (re)development and infrastructure - and shared the same contributing factors, such as political priority of urban forestry, suggesting areas of opportunity to transform trade-offs into synergies through appropriate planning and monitoring. The study also highlighted the need for further research on the interactions and impacts among municipal policies for more effective implementation and outcomes. • The study is among the first attempts to explore policy interactions on climate action, urban planning, and urban forest. • Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants with relevant expertise in cities of Metro Vancouver, Canada. • Results revealed key trade-offs and synergies among policies and practices, especially in development and infrastructure. • Connections between trade-offs and synergies suggest opportunities for compact, climate-proofed, and green cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effectively addressing climate change in line with the Paris Agreement and the EU Climate Law requires the establishment of governance structures with the participation and coordination of all levels of government and where the local level plays a key role. This is evident with the emergence of city-to-city networks of urban policymakers and supporting initiatives such as the EU 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate how approximately 400 European cities are shaping their governance structures to tackle the complexities of achieving climate neutrality, highlighting the key elements on which cities focus their efforts. This study analyses data collected through the Expression of Interest survey of the European Commission's 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission, which contains inputs directly provided by local authorities responsible for implementing climate policies. The results reveal the significant progress cities have made in adapting their governance approaches to effectively address climate challenges through for instance the institutionalisation of climate change, and the introduction of enabling and participative forms of governing with the involvement of key stakeholders in the decision-making processes. It also highlights the challenges cities face concerning climate financing and the need to unlock private investments. • Network analysis of European cities' legal powers in climate-related sectors • Urban climate governance models necessitate continuous adjustments. • European cities face challenges when financing climate actions. • Stakeholders' collaboration is essential for urban climate transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing pressure for cities to plan for and take action on climate change in equitable and just ways. Scholars, however, continue to debate what justice looks like in practice, and cities struggle to plan for and implement climate justice. This article investigates the case of San Francisco, a forerunner in climate action and a city experiencing profound inequality. Our research employs an analytical framework that assesses how and to what extent climate justice is incorporated into climate adaptation planning. This study analyzes 20 years of adaptation efforts in San Francisco and is informed by interviews with city planners and agency staff. Our research has found that San Francisco's approach to climate planning has shifted in recent years from focusing primarily on technology and science to addressing concerns of justice and the needs of residents. While San Francisco has made efforts to develop climate justice plans, further inquiry is needed to study the challenges of fully integrating climate justice into implementation. The insights gained from this case of San Francisco and our analytical framework can inform future urban climate action plans and further the debate around climate justice in cities from the Global North. • Cities, such as San Francisco (United States), are increasingly incorporating climate justice into adaptation planning. • Local government leadership, funding, and regulation lay the groundwork for climate justice in adaptation planning. • We present a framework to examine how and the extent to which climate justice is incorporated into adaptation planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]