What factors drive municipal climate adaptation policy? The role of risk management capacity and transnational municipal networks.

Local governments play a strategic role in adapting to climatic changes. However, understanding the factors that explain why local governments make commitments to act remains challenging for scholars and practitioners. Thus, this paper considers the analysis of two important factors that might influence local governments to plan for climate adaptation: Risk Management Capacity (RMC) and Transnational Municipal Networks (TMN). We examined whether RMC and participation in a TMN (ICLEI- Local Governments for Sustainability) are determinant factors for the existence of local climate change plans in Brazilian municipalities. Statistical analysis shows that municipalities with larger populations and higher education index are more likely to develop plans addressing adaptation to climate change. We found that not only is the presence of TMNs important, but the period a municipality has a partnership with the TMN influences planning for adaptation. Surprisingly, a stronger RMC and the number of disasters in a municipality do not imply a higher likelihood of developing municipal climate change plans. In a textual analysis, we also argue that the plans to combat climate change are still insufficiently developed as they do not always discuss adaptation. • City's participation in a TMN increases the propensity to develop climate plans. • Risk Management Capacity does not impact city's development of climate change plans. • Brazilian cities do not always discuss adaptation in climate change plans. • A sustainability office enhances the propensity to develop climate plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]