ABSTRACT The climate (im)mobilities community is increasingly engaging with governance frameworks. This manifests in the literature in two ways. First, normatively motivated contributions engage with how climate (im)mobilities governance frameworks should be designed. Second, empirical research includes governance as a contributing factor to people’s mobility decisions. In this contribution we directly examine the notion of governance in relation to climate (im)mobilities and consider the concept of ‘climate mobilities governance’ as a subject of analysis in its own right. We argue that considerations of the complexity regarding the phenomena of climate (im)mobilities identified in the literature should be extended to the concept of governance and that doing so requires better integration of empirical and normative theorizing. We present a series of considerations for conceptualizing ‘climate (im)mobilities governance’ by extending insights from other domains of global governance, namely global environmental governance. We then clarify the relationship between normative and empirical insights with respect to these considerations and suggest a normative framework that can integrate empirical considerations when evaluating governance structures for climate (im)mobilities.

ABSTRACT This article reconceptualises extractivism as a core mechanism shaping climate-induced (im)mobilities, moving beyond technocratic framings that overlook its embedded socio-ecological and political dimensions. Drawing upon a qualitative case study in Antofagasta, Chile – an epicentre of copper and lithium extraction – we explore how classical, neo-, and green extractivisms generate not only territorial dispossession but also structural (im)mobility traps. In Antofagasta, in-depth interviews reveal the normalization of environmental degradation, precarious labour dependence, and infrastructural abandonment as drivers of immobility. The region’s inhabitants – caught between desires for mobility and structural constraints – experience what the authors term “extractivist-based immobilities.” Discourses around “green mining” and technological fixes are met with scepticism, as they obscure persistent inequalities and fail to address the underlying drivers of socio-environmental harm. This article contributes to the climate mobility literature by foregrounding the relational geographies and power asymmetries embedded in extractive regimes. It calls for a politically re-signified understanding of extractivism – one that incorporates ecological, economic, and epistemic justice – as essential to any meaningful transition. Ultimately, it argues that decarbonization without de-extractivisation risks deepening global disparities and re-anchoring vulnerable communities to sacrifice in the name of a greener world.

ABSTRACT Adaptive governance (AG) has emerged as a crucial framework for managing disaster risk reduction (DRR) in dynamic and uncertain environments. Odisha, a disaster-prone state in India, has made significant strides in cyclone preparedness and mitigation through evolving governance mechanisms after the 1999 super-cyclone. Empirical evidence highlights institutional reforms with investment in shelters and early warning systems that led to large-scale evacuations at the time of recent cyclones Fani (2019) and Phailin (2013), which recorded a drastic reduction in cyclone mortality. This paper seeks to understand the extent to which Odisha’s disaster governance exhibits adaptive characteristics and assesses its effectiveness in enhancing resilience. The paper contributes to multi-disciplinary research towards the conceptual understanding of AG, resilience and DRR. This review study discusses the five major characteristics of AG using a qualitative research method, in which data were obtained from document analysis and peer-reviewed literature, to examine the case study from Odisha’s DRR efforts. The findings highlight that Odisha has institutionalized key elements of AG within the guiding frameworks of the Sendai Framework (2015–2030); however, challenges remain in terms of bureaucratic inertia and the rigidity of inter-departmental silos, funding constraints for recurrent costs and issues surrounding structural gender empowerment.

ABSTRACT Understanding the spatial interaction effects of urban carbon reduction is crucial for formulating coordinated regional mitigation strategies. Drawing on panel data from 284 Chinese cities covering the period 2006–2020, this study employs a spatial econometric framework within the context of peer effects to empirically examine the interactive characteristics of urban carbon reduction. The results reveal that: (1) urban carbon reduction exhibits significant positive peer effects, with the strongest “yardstick competition” observed among cities located within the same province; (2) mechanism tests indicate that both learning and competition effects reinforce these peer effects; (3) cities with varying emission intensities tend to learn from and emulate each other’s urban carbon reduction practices, with those of lower intensities more likely to serve as role models; and (4) heterogeneity analysis shows that peer effects are more pronounced among cities in central and western China, particularly in low-carbon cities, and that non-resource-based cities tend to exhibit stronger peer effects than resource-based cities. These findings suggest that policymakers should strengthen inter-city linkages to amplify the collective effectiveness of urban carbon reduction.

ABSTRACT Growing evidence has highlighted the gender differentiated experiences of climate change on individuals, even within the same households. Understanding and tracking these differential experiences requires reliable tools that measure subjective resilience. Yet there are few validated tools that can operate across sectoral contexts. In this paper, we describe the process of adapting and validating a scale to measure individual climate resilience with reference to four climate events (floods, drought, landslides and severe storms) with specific emphasis on intra-household differences. The tool was adapted from the Subjective Self-Evaluated Resilience Score and piloted during 2022 in Bhutan, Lao PDR, and Nepal (n = 2,406) leading to a reliable six-item scale (omegaT = 0.90–0.96). In nearly all geographies, there were statistically different resilience scores between women and men and only low agreement between spousal-dyad pairs. These results call into question household-level measurement approaches and confirm the importance of a focus on individuals. As development researchers and practitioners aim to understand the impact of their programs in the context of climate change and intra-household variation, this short scale offers a reliable option to measure resilience at the individual rather than household level.

ABSTRACT The Brahmaputra River Basin (BRB) is an ecologically sensitive region, facing threats from anthropogenic interventions and climate change. Geopolitical tensions among the riparian nations have impeded collaboration, resulting in a gap in basin-wide research. Despite limited scientific understanding, especially regarding climate-related impacts, several water infrastructure projects, are planned on BRB. To bridge this gap, we explored the current understanding of future climate scenarios in BRB by systematically reviewing the scientific literature on climate change projections from 1985 to 2023. The findings reveal a steady increase in academic research since 2012, with most scientific literature concentrating on the Indian part of the basin (n = 21), followed by studies on China (n = 15), Bangladesh (n = 10) and Bhutan (n = 2). Only a few papers (n = 13) consider the entire BRB, indicating that most studies focus on specific river segments. We found a significant gap in research collaboration among BRB riparian countries, in addition to a lack of publications focusing on climate extreme events. Challenges due to limited observed data and restricted data sharing among the riparian nations were discussed. Our findings underscore the need for basin-wide collaborative research that addresses knowledge gaps and supports evidence-based policy-making in the BRB.

ABSTRACT Climate change has transformed the landscape of the Sundarbans in India and led to grave concerns regarding the ecology of the region and the prospects of those who stay there. This paper studies whether permanent evacuation is the optimal coping strategy, from the point of view of both the inhabitants as well as the environment, in the Sundarbans, to inform the broader debate on climate induced migration worldwide. Results show that while migration leads to a deterioration of the ecological balance by 1% in the region, it also has a positive impact on the level of hopefulness experienced by low-income migrants. However, the majority of migrants express a desire to return to their native place, regardless of income groups. The results speak to the importance of making scientific advances in effective coping strategies in the face of the growing scale of climatic disasters, such that migration is a voluntary choice rather than a compulsion.

ABSTRACT Bangladesh’s coastal socio-ecological systems face severe climate-related stresses, including sea-level rise, cyclones, salinity intrusion, and flooding. Strengthening resilience in these systems depends on institutional capacity, yet national policies are rarely informed by evidence on how institutions operate at local levels. This study presents an empirically grounded, multi-scalar assessment of institutional strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats across five coastal socio-ecological systems. A four-step approach was applied: (i) strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis using focus group discussions and key informant interviews; (ii) review of relevant policy instruments; (iii) stakeholder analysis; and (iv) co-development of institutional strategies. The analysis combined qualitative thematic coding, frequency-based assessment, and validation through multi-stakeholder workshops. Results identify persistent challenges, including bureaucratic delays, weak inter-agency coordination, limited technical capacity, and low local participation, alongside opportunities arising from existing policy frameworks and community social capital. Based on these findings, the study outlines three broad pathways and six strategies to strengthen institutional capacity, including integrated coastal zone management, resilience-based natural resource management, mangrove restoration, climate-resilient infrastructure investment, regulatory enforcement, and pro-poor economic development. Political-economy constraints, such as elite capture and fragmented mandates, remain key barriers. Overall, the study offers context-specific guidance to improve governance and climate resilience in coastal Bangladesh.

ABSTRACT Climate change mitigation in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) economies requires coordinated progress across energy, urban and waste systems aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study examines how renewable energy adoption (SDG 7.2), energy intensity (SDG 7.3), urban carbon footprint (SDGs 11.6 and 13.2), recycling rates (SDG 12.5) and municipal solid waste collection coverage (SDGs 11.6.1 and 12.5) influence national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (SDG 13.2) across 30 data-rich BRI countries from 2000 to 2023. A multi-source panel dataset is constructed using information from the World Development Indicators, EDGAR, Eurostat, the Energy Institute Statistical Review and UNEP/UN-Habitat. Short- and long-run elasticities are estimated using the Dynamic Common Correlated Effects (DCCE) estimator to address cross-sectional dependence, heterogeneity and endogeneity. The results indicate that higher shares of renewable energy, greater recycling rates and broader waste collection coverage significantly reduce GHG emissions in both the short and long run. In contrast, higher energy intensity and larger urban carbon footprints exacerbate emissions. Quantitatively, a 10% increase in renewable energy adoption is associated with a 3-4% reduction in long-run emissions. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of integrated, multi-sector climate policies that combine clean energy expansion, urban emission management and circular-economy waste strategies across heterogeneous BRI economies.

ABSTRACT The paper identifies similarities and differences in climate obstruction discourses delivered by foreign policy authorities of ultraconservative administrations in the United States and Brazil. It presents a comparative analysis of discourses enunciated by Mike Pompeo and Ernesto Araújo when they headed, respectively, the United States’ Department of State, during Donald Trump’s first administration, and Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during Jair Bolsonaro’s administration. The hypothesis tested was that, while obstructionist discourses resemble each other in various parts of the world today due to the transnational dissemination of an ideology that combines economic liberalism and Christian conservatism, political actors in the United States would tend to discredit climate change mainly to defend fossil fuel private sector interests, while political actors in Brazil would do so especially for the benefit of the private agribusiness sector. The hypothesis was confirmed through the selection of official speeches from public databases and their examination using Critical Discourse Analysis. The paper supports known evidence that climate obstruction is mainly connected to far-right ideologies, but highlights the importance of differentiating the main material interests that inform them in North and South countries.