Multinational Companies and Urban Climate Governance

The conception of the 21st century as the “urban millennium” ¹ drew the attention of both scholars and policy-makers to the importance of cities. Apart from the recognition of their economic importance—both nationally and globally—as centers of production and consumption, the idea that they need to be part of the solution to multiple global challenges made cities’ roles in global governance become widely studied and discussed. ² The unprecedented speed and size of urbanization in Africa and Asia and the already high urbanization rates in the Americas and Europe make the urban question—once again—unavoidable. Despite the many challenges faced by new and old cities, the very fact that more than half of the world’s population now consists of urbanites pushes towards seeing cities as key places for ensuring a livable and sustainable future. Moreover, some even conceptualize them as laboratories or testing grounds for advancing innovative policies and governance arrangements, especially when they can stimulate changes at larger scales. ³