Considering subnational support of climate change policy in the United States and the implications of symbolic policy acts

Bibliographic Data

ID4329903
AuthorsJoyanna S Hopper (0000-0002-9058-9001, University of Scranton, corresponding author), Clint S Swift (0000-0002-8767-3384, Protect Democracy, Washington, D.C., USA)
Year2022
Volume31
Issue6
Pages969-990
Publication date2022-09-19
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueEnvironmental Politics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0964-4016 • E-ISSN: 1743-8934
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09644016.2021.1964771
OpenAlexW3198789200
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited48

While existing literature points to a number of factors that shape subnational support for climate policy, the extant scholarship has struggled to illustrate a clear and convincing explanation for subnational support of climate policy efforts and whether that support is meaningful. By looking to the United States, where subnational actors have an important role in environmental policy development and implementation, we find that legislators’ ideology and membership in the minority party determines sponsorship of climate bills. Specifically, liberal legislators with the fewest opportunities to signal efficacy to their constituents are the most likely to support subnational climate change policy efforts. Given that the individuals most likely to support climate policy efforts are those without capacity, many support efforts may be more symbolic than substantive

Climate change · Climate policy · Extant taxon · Ideology · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Scholarship · Sociology · Climate Change Communication and Perception · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Law · Policy Transfer and Learning · Public Administration

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