Governing complex emergencies at the local level:emergency governance for cities and regions

This summary paper covers the work of the Emergency Governance Initiative (EGI) from 2020 to 2024, including six policy briefs and analytic notes each, and numerous workshops, seminars, and engagements. It provides a succinct presentation of the key findings and learnings from the last four years, offering a centralised entry point to the various outputs produced to date. The insights presented span speculative principles and frameworks rather than fully consensual ones, highlighting the need for further development in partnership with local governments and their associations. This paper not only reflects on past work but also sets the scene for future efforts on emergency governance, identifying impor[1]tant open questions that lay the groundwork for an ambitious next phase of the EGI. It speaks directly to local governments, illustrating how they have activated the complex emergency narrative. Written with three key audiences in mind - individual local and regional governments, their associations, and national governments or international city networks - it aims to address their unique perspectives. The paper is organised into three main sections. The following section revisits the broader framing of complex emergencies and their governance at the local level. Section 3 presents four bundles of critical emergency governance reforms: multilevel governance and emergency coordination, service delivery and stakeholder coordination, finance and resources, and democ[1]racy and representation. Each bundle includes a summary of key learnings, proposed actions, and open points. Finally, Section 4 addresses outstanding questions and debates, establishing a critical starting point for future work on emergency governance.