Understanding the Power of Cities in Global Climate Politics: A Framework for Analysis

Abstract

This chapter sets the stage for the rest of the book by situating the rise of cities in relation to the study of international relations, international political economy and global environmental governanceGlobal environmental governance . In so doing, it makes the case that the growing prominence of cities in global climate politics can be usefully understood in relation to four critical historical junctures: (1) the end of the Cold War, which foreshadowed the conceptualization of non-state power, complex interdependence and multilevel governance; (2) the globalizationGlobalization of information and communication technologiesInformation and communication technologies , which facilitated the rise of transnational networks, global cities and post-Fordist production regimes; (3) the re-scaling of global production chains, reflecting the rise of the NICs, the BRICs and other emerging economies; and (4) an emerging consensus that human activities have become the primary cause and determinant of global environmental change, introducing a new epoch of the AnthropoceneAnthropocene . By situating the rise of cities and city-networks in relation to these four historical/theoretical transitions, this chapter outlines a conceptual framework for understanding the interaction of Westphalian, network, corporate and performative power.