This study probes into climate policy design at city level in China, with Hangzhou’s energy efficiency and renewable energy policies
between 2005 and 2014 as a case. The study applies a political action arena approach to accentuate the importance of different
normative preferences behind climate change policies in relation to Hangzhou’s emerging urban climate governance regime. Three
main categories of policy instruments are identified: i.e. command-and-control, market-based, and collaborative governance
instruments, and their development over time is examined. It is concluded that in Hangzhou energy efficiency is a more mature and comprehensive political action arena than renewable energy.
The study also finds that there has been a significant shift away
from preferences towards command-and-control to more marketbased
instruments, while cooperative governance instruments are
still in their infancy. It finally shows that the design and implementation of local programs, especially the selection of policy
instruments, are strongly influenced by the normative preferences
of local officials. Thus, the approach of Hangzhou’s government to
the design and implementation of climate policies seem to gradually become less authoritarian, more market based, and more
accountable, due to the inherent complexity of this political action
arena.