Leadership of European Union cities in environmental policies
Author
Gonzalez, Lydia Carmen Chantal
Term
4. semester
Education
Publication year
2024
Submitted on
2024-05-31
Abstract
Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan førende EU‑byer omsætter ambitiøse miljømål til meget innovative politikker. Det centrale spørgsmål er: Hvordan opnår førende EU‑byer i miljøpolitiske outputs deres interne miljøambitioner? Med afsæt i og tilpasning af teorier om årsagsfaktorer for urban miljøinnovation identificeres to sekventielle forudsætninger—samskabende processer og en veletableret vidensbase blandt de involverede aktører—og der anvendes et samskabelsesperspektiv med tre strategier (intern hele‑organisationen‑strategi, eksternt orienteret interessentstrategi og eksternt orienteret civilsamfundsstrategi). På denne baggrund foreslås en analytisk ramme for udvikling af højt innovative miljøpolitikker. Rammen undersøges empirisk gennem et enkeltcase‑studie af Barcelona, udvalgt for sit stærke miljøengagement, baseret på kvalitativ analyse af seks centrale kommunale dokumenter om politikudvikling, samskabelsesprocesser og vidensopbygning. Med en abduktiv tilgang tilføjer studiet en tredje sekventiel faktor: en udbredt klimakultur. Resultaterne peger på, at Barcelonas byråd fremmer sine ambitioner via samskabelse, der udnytter en solid vidensbase og er forankret i klimakultur, kendetegnet ved en grøn fortalerkreds, en eksemplarisk hele‑organisationen‑tilgang, integration af alle tre samskabelsesstrategier, stærk borgerinddragelse og en bredere social omstilling mod klimabevidsthed. Specialet giver indsigter, som andre EU‑byer med høje interne ambitioner kan overveje i arbejdet mod lederskab i miljøpolitiske outputs.
This thesis examines how leading EU cities translate ambitious environmental goals into highly innovative policy outputs. It asks: How do leading EU cities in environmental policy outputs achieve their internal environmental ambitions? Building on and adapting theories of causal factors in urban environmental innovation, the study identifies two sequential requirements—collaborative co-creation and a well-established knowledge base among participants—and applies a co-creation lens with three strategies (internal whole-of-government, externally focused stakeholder, and externally focused civil society). On this basis, it proposes an analytical framework for developing highly innovative environmental policies. The framework is empirically examined through a single-case study of Barcelona, selected for its strong environmental engagement, using qualitative analysis of six key municipal documents on policy design, co-creation processes, and knowledge development. Using an abductive approach, the study adds a third sequential factor: a widespread climate culture. The findings indicate that Barcelona’s City Council advances its ambitions through collaborative creation that leverages a robust knowledge base and is anchored in climate culture, characterized by a green advocacy coalition, an exemplary whole-of-government stance, integration of all three co-creation strategies, strong citizen involvement, and a broader social transformation toward climate awareness. The thesis offers insights that other EU cities with high internal ambitions may consider when seeking leadership in environmental policy outputs.
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