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Strategic visions for local sustainability transition: measuring maturity in Swedish municipalities
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Science and Technology, Technology, Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8008-7913
Department of Energy Systems, University of Gävle, Gävle, Sweden.
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Science and Technology, Technology, Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering, Civil Engineering and Built Environment.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6031-2159
2023 (English)In: Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning, ISSN 1523-908X, E-ISSN 1522-7200, Vol. 25, no 5, p. 539-553Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The use of strategic visions based on concepts like climate-neutrality, net-zero emissions and energy efficiency is important to align action and build momentum. The agency of transition actors requires clear definitions and explanations of visions, enabling operationalization for action, monitoring and measuring of results. This paper develops a maturity scale for climate-related strategic visions among local governments. Further, the maturity of Swedish municipalities’ climate-related strategic visions is reviewed. The results show that out of Sweden’s 290 municipalities, 256 shows overall low maturity in their strategic visions, not supporting their local, regional and national system actors sufficiently. Furthermore, results from workshops indicate that the roles, mandate and process for working with municipal strategic visions are not clear. There is an ambiguity around visions that is hindering aligned action and progress.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Routledge, 2023. Vol. 25, no 5, p. 539-553
Keywords [en]
Climate policy, local governance, sustainable transitions, climate neutrality, strategic visions
National Category
Engineering and Technology Public Administration Studies
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-518060DOI: 10.1080/1523908x.2023.2218273ISI: 001000173100001OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-518060DiVA, id: diva2:1820018
Available from: 2023-12-15 Created: 2023-12-15 Last updated: 2024-09-18Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Understanding and Leading Sustainable Development: Shifting to Stakeholder Focus in Sustainable Housing
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Understanding and Leading Sustainable Development: Shifting to Stakeholder Focus in Sustainable Housing
2024 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

The systematic degradation of social and ecological systems’ ability to support human well-being is causing existential threats, this demands society to undergo a radical transition. Examples of these demands include biodiversity loss, climate change, inequality, and a decline in trust, highlighting the urgent need to adopt practices for sustainable development. This thesis explores the organisational process of Leading sustainable development.

The work starts with a linear logic where the Leading process is related to a chain starting with Understanding, Defining, Measuring, Communicating and ending with Leading sustainable development. The logic is used to conduct maturity assessments in the value chain for building in Sweden and globally where the results are used to indicate that there is a lack of understanding sustainability and sustainable development. With these empirical results research results, insights and theories are combined in a conceptual development using both abductive and retroductive inferences to describe the relation between the processes Understanding, Defining, Measuring, Communicating and Leading.

The conceptual development results in a new model – the LUnDeMeCo model which underlying mechanisms are described from a critical realist perspective. The conceptual development is positioned in the sub-theme of Quality Management research which suggests further integration between quality thinking and system thinking. The proposed goal of this theme in Quality Management is contributing to sustainable development through a shift from customer focus to stakeholder focus. Further results are derived through relating the shift from customer focus to stakeholder focus to the underlying system contexts and is informed by second-order critique guided by Critical Systems Thinking.

Main result is the proposed LUnDeMeCo model and the related system methodologies, in the form of principles, practices, and tools, which are context dependent. Where the context is related to a typology of sustainability challenges developed in one of the appended papers, and the System of System Methodologies grid used in Critical Systems Thinking.

The results contribute to the field of Quality Management where there is ambitions to support sustainable development, but confusion about the implications from the shift from customer focus to stakeholder focus. Results also contribute to organisations looking to engage in Leading sustainable development in understanding how different principles, practices and tools can support their organisational capabilities for Leading, Understanding, Defining, Measuring and Communicating.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Uppsala: Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis, 2024. p. 126
Series
Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology, ISSN 1651-6214 ; 2452
Keywords
Sustainable Housing, Quality Management, Systems Thinking, Strategic Visions, Sustainable Development
National Category
Other Engineering and Technologies
Research subject
Engineering Science with specialization in Civil Engineering and Built Environment
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-538600 (URN)978-91-513-2236-0 (ISBN)
Public defence
2024-11-06, B51, Uppsala universitet - Campus Gotland, Cramérgatan 3, Visby, 10:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Available from: 2024-10-16 Created: 2024-09-18 Last updated: 2024-10-16

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Rosvall, MaxÅberg, Magnus

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