WHY DO SOME CITIES GOVERN GREENER? MEASURING CITY-LEVEL CAPACITY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL GOVERNANCE IN MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES

Abstract

Local governments play a pivotal role in advancing environmental sustainability, yet cities operating under similar legal mandates and ecological pressures often display markedly different governance outcomes. This study asks why some cities govern greener than others by examining how variations in administrative capacity shape environmental governance performance at the city level. Focusing on selected cities in Mindanao, Philippines, the research develops and applies a Green Governance Capacity Index (GGCI) to systematically measure local government capacity for environmental governance. Using a mixed-methods research design, the study integrates documentary analysis, administrative records, survey data, and key informant interviews to operationalize city-level capacity across three core dimensions: organizational–institutional capacity, human resource capacity, and fiscal capacity. These dimensions are translated into standardized indicators capturing institutional structure, staffing stability and specialization, and budgetary prioritization for environmental programs. The GGCI is then used to compare cities and assess how capacity differentials correspond with observed governance outcomes such as regulatory compliance, program continuity, and stakeholder engagement. Findings demonstrate that cities with higher green governance capacity scores consistently exhibit stronger environmental governance performance, including more sustained implementation of environmental programs, higher compliance with national environmental regulations, and more institutionalized mechanisms for stakeholder participation. Conversely, cities with fragmented organizational arrangements, high personnel turnover, and unstable funding display weaker and more episodic governance outcomes. The results underscore administrative capacity as a critical mediating factor between decentralization and environmental performance. The study contributes to the literature by offering a replicable measurement framework for assessing local environmental governance capacity in developing contexts. Policy implications emphasize the need for institutionalized environmental offices, professionalized staffing, and predictable fiscal support to strengthen city-level environmental governance under decentralized systems.