Local governments have set highly ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction targets on a strategic level, in some cases influenced by intermediary networks. Yet, the quantitative impacts of climate strategies or the sharing of best practices on emissions still remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of an intermediary network on municipal greenhouse gas emissions. This was done through an econometric analysis of the emissions of municipalities that are members of the Finnish Hinku (Towards Carbon Neutral Municipalities) network, and through comprehensive qualitative interviews conducted in 40 of those municipalities. Our quantitative results show that Hinku network membership has successfully led to the lowering of greenhouse gas emission levels in participating municipalities. The qualitative interviews suggest that this is due to systematic local level climate work, enhanced by network membership. The network functions as an intermediary in two ways: by providing expertise and enabling peer-support. In addition, it has also succeeded in legitimising local level climate action. Ambitious local level climate action can also affect the ambition of national climate policy, which in turn may reflect on the amount resources allocated to local climate action.

地方政府在战略水平上制定了雄心勃勃的温室气体减排目标，在某些情况下受到中介网络的影响。然而，气候战略或最佳做法的共享对排放的量化影响仍然很大程度上未知。这项研究的目的是研究中介网络对市政温室气体排放的影响。这是通过对属于芬兰Hinku（迈向碳中和城市）网络的城市的排放进行计量经济学分析，并通过对其中40个城市进行的全面定性采访而实现的。我们的定量结果表明，Hinku网络成员资格已成功降低了参与市政当局的温室气体排放水平。定性访谈表明，这是由于系统的地方级气候工作，以及网络成员的增多而引起的。该网络以两种方式充当中介：通过提供专业知识和启用对等支持。此外，它还成功地使地方一级的气候行动合法化。雄心勃勃的地方级气候行动也可能会影响国家气候政策的雄心，而这又可能会影响分配给当地气候行动的资源量。