ABSTRACT

Governing Sustainability in the EU examines the recent novelties in the EU agenda for sustainable development, illustrating how the process of policy change has occurred at different levels, comprising general priorities, specific objectives and policy instruments.

The book focuses on the evolution of the principle of policy integration and analyses its implementation by specific policy instruments across three policy areas: energy efficiency (the Covenant of Mayors), innovation (the Eco-Innovation Programme) and regional development (ERDF regional programmes regarding sustainable urban development). It specifically examines two domestic contexts (Italy and the UK) with the aim of understanding how the goals and means envisaged by the EU have been translated into concrete policy practices on the ground, and which factors have influenced the creation of new policy and governance practices necessary for the achievement of sustainable development objectives.

This text will be of key interest to scholars, students and practitioners of sustainable development, European Union Politics, and Environmental Politics.

chapter |8 pages

Introduction

chapter 1|22 pages

Understanding policy change in the EU

What is missing in our knowledge of policy implementation?

chapter 2|35 pages

EU agenda for sustainable development

Evolving policy instruments and governance architectures

chapter 3|22 pages

National sustainable development strategies

A comparative overview

chapter 5|29 pages

Local action for sustainable energy

The EU Covenant of Mayors

chapter 6|24 pages

Technological innovation for environment

The Eco-Innovation Programme

chapter |8 pages

Conclusions