Local framework and multilevel governance toward climate transition strategy

Our societies are currently facing urgent global crises due to climate change and biodiversity loss, which are causing and will increasingly cause irreversible impacts in the future. For this reason, in recent decades, adaptation and mitigation measures have become increasingly important, both because of the physical need for territories to identify sensitive responses to the sustainability challenge and because of the growth of collective awareness on climate-related risks. Despite numerous and increasing efforts, Italian administrations at various levels often find it difficult to effectively activate transformative dynamics because of many strategic and technical gaps. The Climate Transition Strategies promoted (CTS) by the Call for ideas “Strategia Clima” of Fondazione Cariplo tried to compensate these gaps and to support the implementation of urban transition policies. To respond effectively to the need for urban contexts to adapt to climate impacts and to promote development and management models capable of increasing territorial resilience, the Call has brought to the definition of four CTS: two carried out by single municipalities (Brescia and Bergamo), two by aggregations of municipalities (West Brianza and Mantua). The example of partnerships is particularly significant in demonstrating the effectiveness of this strategic tool since they can provide a broader context for action, increase the effectiveness of actions and optimize resources. The common methodology implemented for both processes led to the adoption of: - organic and well-defined coordination structure; - updated and cross-cutting knowledge framework; - shared vision and strategic objectives; - synergic framework of actions; - mainstreaming of planning instruments. Through the technical framework and the methodology implemented, the CTSs can activate inter-municipal transformative actions through the mainstreaming of planning tools, the construction of a medium-long-term vision, and the identification of concrete and widespread actions to be implemented in the territory. These documents, coordinated and shared by the administrations with the stakeholders, can also give stability, coherence, and continuity to adaptation processes involving different stakeholders and sectors of the PA. Finally, they favour the implementation and multidisciplinarity of policies for territorial resilience on a large scale that would otherwise be difficult to achieve