PUBLIC PRIVATE COLLABORATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION: A LOCAL GOVERNANCE PERSPECTIVE

How can local governments influence companies to reduce their climate change impacts? This overall problem is examined in this PhD thesis.
The PhD thesis is based on the experiences of seven Danish municipalities participating in the EU Life+ project, Carbon 20. Analyses are made of the municipalities’ practises, activities and learning on how to influence local companies to reduce their greenhouse gas emission.
A conceptual framework of local governance and learning is introduced and six core analyses are made. Five of the analyses address distinct elements of the research:
• Challenges of the companies to implement energy savings
• Options for municipal environmental officers to address climate change and energy as part of the direct environmental regulation of companies
• Cooperation between municipalities and energy utilities on providing free of charge energy screenings
• The municipalities’ activities to combine local business support with the climate and environmental agenda under the concept of green growth
• The learning and competences of the municipal officers.
The insights from these five analyses are combined into the sixth analysis as an assessment of the competencies needed to assist companies to address the highlighted challenges.