Climate mitigation in international and national policy documents. Taxonomy, characterization, and evaluation criteria in urban design

Abstract

EU Member States have developed long-term national strategies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions to meet their commitments under the Paris Agreement. Strong governance of climate policies at both the European and national levels is a prerequisite for effective action to combat climate change, which should be implemented through urban transformations that incorporate adaptation, climate mitigation, and regenerative processes. The paper analyses climate mitigation policies aimed at establishing a framework of strategic guidelines, as set forth by the EU and implemented at the national and local levels (specifically in Italy), through programmatic and regulatory instruments tailored to each level. A critical analysis of international, EU, and national policy reports and documents has enabled the development of a taxonomy of mitigation actions, identifying nine macro-categories that categorize their project type in particular.