"North south collection action problems continue to stall progress on effective climate change governance at the international level. This is in part due to a deficit in domestic political support required to advance a binding emissions treaty at the international level in both developed and developing countries. The international climate change regime has effectively regressed with many countries ignoring the urgency needed to advance progress.

The density of policy actions on climate change grows as you move away from the inter-state realm. National and sub-state jurisdictions are inherently more exposed to climate change risk, which is a more significant motivator for action. Examples include California’s emission trading system or B.C.’s carbon tax.

There has also been a proliferation of “experimentation” on climate change policy orchestrated by transnational and non-state actors. Business-NGO alliances are increasingly active in developing their own regulations for climate change due to shareholder and stakeholder pressure. Unlike most climate change research, which tracks UNFCCC negotiations, there is much more opportunity to assess whether private and transnational efforts are proving effective at advancing climate policy. Most research to date has mapped the growing density of private policy, but we know little about its effectiveness."