Institutional and social enablers for governance of environmental risks at the local scale. Analysis of Chilean municipalities

Abstract The Latin American context of exposure to environmental risks demands a better understanding of the institutional factors that impact on local environmental management. Supported by mixed research methods, this study examines hypotheses on relationships between political, institutional, and social factors and municipal environmental management in the empirical context of Chilean municipalities. The results suggest that the combination of political factors, institutional arrangements and capacities, and relationships with society explain different municipal behaviors.