CLIMATE GOVERNANCE AMID DEGLOBALIZATION: THE INTERNATIONAL LEGAL ROLE OF SUBNATIONAL GOVERNMENTS IN ADVANCING SDG 13

Abstract

This paper analyzes the contribution of subnational governments to the implementation of climate targets under Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG 13) within an international context marked by deglobalization, the resurgence of sovereigntist agendas, and the crisis of multilateralism. Based on a hypothetico-deductive approach and a specialized literature review, the study demonstrates that subnational actors play a strategic role in multilevel environmental governance, both in the internalization of global norms and in the promotion of cooperative climate actions. The research highlights how cities, states, and regions act as resilient spaces for international environmental cooperation, ensuring the continuity and effectiveness of the Agenda 2030 despite the weakening of multilateral frameworks. It concludes that paradiplomacy constitutes an essential tool to address the challenges posed by global fragmentation, fostering innovative, adaptive, and sustainable climate solutions. Decentralized cooperation strengthens local actors as key agents in advancing climate action and reaffirms their role as transformative forces in tackling climate change amid geopolitical instability.