‘Mainstreaming’ climate change by embedding climate change considerations in government policies, processes, and operations can bolster the realization of climate mitigation and adaptation goals and reduce risks of counter-productive actions. Some climate laws around the world now contain explicit mainstreaming duties, in parallel with emissions reduction targets and adaptation planning requirements. This article proposes a conceptual model for climate change mainstreaming in government, with two pillars. Firstly, it defines objectives of climate mainstreaming, emphasizing that mainstreaming activities occur along a spectrum of ambition towards a goal of ‘mature mainstreaming’. Secondly, it proposes three complementary pathways to mature mainstreaming – regulatory, institutional, and capacity and capability-building pathways – to classify mainstreaming activities, and barriers to and enablers of mainstreaming. Grounded in empirical insights from a leading jurisdiction (Victoria, Australia), the model can assist governments to clearly articulate mainstreaming objectives and to identify, prioritize, and monitor mainstreaming initiatives to help in achieving their climate policy goals.

通过将气候变化考虑因素纳入政府政策、流程和运作中，将气候变化“纳入主流”可以促进气候减缓和适应目标的实现，并减少适得其反的行动的风险。世界各地的一些气候法现在包含明确的主流化义务，以及减排目标和适应规划要求。本文提出了一个将气候变化纳入政府主流的概念模型，该模型有两个支柱。首先，它定义了气候主流化的目标，强调主流化活动是沿着一系列雄心勃勃的目标进行的，以实现“成熟主流化”的目标。其次，它提出了成熟主流化的三种互补途径——监管、制度、能力和能力建设途径——对主流化活动以及主流化的障碍和推动因素进行分类。该模型以主要司法管辖区（澳大利亚维多利亚州）的经验见解为基础，可以帮助政府明确阐明主流化目标，并确定、优先考虑和监测主流化举措，以帮助实现其气候政策目标。