Anders Biel & Lennart J. Lundqvist 
From Kyoto to the Town Hall [PDF ebook] 
Making International and National Climate Policy Work at the Local Level

International agreements such as the Kyoto Protocol, EU regulation and country-specific national climate policies offer some hope of addressing climate change. But all too often implementation of these high level objectives is derailed at the sub-national, local and – perhaps most important – individual level, by a variety of structural, policy and perceived barriers that result in a failure of effective action.

Drawing on original research from Sweden, a world leader in effective environmental solutions, this volume examines the difficulties of aligning climate
policy from international to national and sub-national levels. The authors address the full range of barriers and complexities, including governance structures, the relationship between  »experts » and the public, political feasibility, tax measures, perceptions of  »fairness » and self-interest, and the importance of environmental values. Also covered are the roles and perceptions of organizations and professions, the place of carbon-free technologies (such as wind power), the relationship between national and EU regulations, and the monumental challenge of governing the climate in a bordered and divided world.

This volume is a vital source of information for all those seeking to create effective, coordinated responses to the challenge of climate change.