This comparative case investigated how 14 U.S. cities were responding to climate change—with a focus on extreme heat. Based on multi-year research, the case introduces a new framework for evaluating climate action across cities by assessing four “change enablers”: institutional alignment, trust, issue salience, and infrastructure for collaboration.

Cities like Seattle and Boston were leading with aligned policy and innovation ecosystems, while others like Detroit and Birmingham were working across challenges such as fragmented institutions and low community trust.

Across regions, the case highlighted how cities were using adaptation (trees, cooling centers), mitigation (renewables, EVs), and innovation (climate tech startups) to meet the moment—but also how scale, equity, and local politics determine success.