Climate change is often considered the single biggest challenge the world is facing today (Bhuiyan in South Asia Res 35:349–367, 2015; Huntjens and Zhang in Climate justice: Equitable and inclusive governance of climate change, 2016). It effects all countries, particularly the global south (Bulkeley in Annu Rev Environ Resour 35:229–253, 2010). It is projected that by 2050 and beyond, 150 million people globally will have become environmental refugees because of coastal flooding, river bank erosion, drought and agricultural downturn (Olsson et al. in Livelihoods and poverty, 2014). Climate change is a multifaceted global problem, and an effective response requires the involvement of numerous stakeholders and institutions (Regmi and Bhadari in TMC Acad J 7:40–55, 2012). A coordinated approach is necessary at multiple government levels, encompassing the spheres of politics, economics and society (Schreurs in Asian Econ Policy Rev 5:88–105, 2010).