Financing metropolitan infrastructure delivery : the politics of governance in London and New York City.

Summary Scholars consider that transnationalization processes segment political authority and erode the capacity to govern territories at the national and metropolitan levels. By analyzing the implementation of four infrastructure projects in London and New York City in the transportation and environmental sectors, we seek to demonstrate the relevance of collective action in metropolitan territories. This work demonstrates that globalization opens up opportunities of a structural nature for metropolitan authorities to reassert their political authority within the territory and introduces the possibility of governance by non-sovereign authorities. He argues that infrastructure provision is a terrain for power struggles between sovereign authorities, non-sovereign authorities, and large corporations, where the winner gains budgetary and financing capacities, which legitimize its authority in political spheres. The case studies illustrate that skilled metropolitan policy actors use the legitimacy of their services to formulate policies and create an enabling environment for the partnership between the public sphere and infrastructure financing experts, thereby acquiring the budgetary and financial capacity necessary for infrastructure projects. In conclusion, this work argues that public infrastructure provision today requires the participation of both state and local actors to create the investment conditions for forging meaningful relationships with large companies and investors who share responsibilities, risks and benefits.