Same policy, different dreams: explaining the variation in local net-zero policy stringency in South Korea

An increasing number of local governments worldwide are adopting net-zero policies, but the level of their stringency varies. To understand this variation, this study examines the case of South Korea, where the government introduced the 2019 Carbon Neutrality Act, requiring all local governments to enact net-zero policies. This study creates a novel index that measures and compares the level of stringency across local net-zero policies. It finds that local governments with a higher renewable energy mix have more stringent local net-zero policies. This finding suggests that there may be a growing gap in local net-zero policy stringency across local governments based on how much they are capable of achieving renewable energy development in their jurisdictions. To reduce this gap, policymakers should focus policy support on local governments that exhibit slow progress in renewable energy development.Local governments play a significant role in delivering national-level net-zero outcomes.Local governments with a higher renewable energy mix are more likely to make stringent local net-zero policies.Policymakers should focus policy support on local governments that lag in renewable energy development to enhance the overall local net-zero policy stringency.