This paper compiles nine in-depth case studies of sub-national climate mitigation programs that exceed or lead national policy directives. From California to Rajasthan, India, these case studies reveal a range of local partnerships that exhibit strong climate leadership. In addition to examining the policy frameworks that make these accomplishments possible, calculate each featured initiatives’ potential mitigation impact if it were scaled to the national level. Findings demonstrate these sub-national climate actions’ capacity to contribute to national 2020 mitigation goals. Each sub-national action may seem insignificant in isolation, but the analysis demonstrates how these local and regional climate initiatives could expand to greater scale and raise ambition for national efforts.