ABSTRACT

One of the most heartening developments in climate change mitigation in recent years has been the increasing attention paid to the principle of ‘thinking globally and acting locally’. The failure of the international community to reach significant global agreements on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions has led local governments, environmental organisations and citizens themselves to focus increasingly on the local possibilities for action on climate change.

This book analyses the strengths and weaknesses of the co-production of climate policies that take place where citizen engagement and local initiatives converge with public agencies. Case studies from Northern Europe, Australia/New Zealand and the USA reveal that traditional individualist approaches to promoting environmental behaviour epitomised by information campaigns and economic incentives cannot trigger the deep behavioural changes required to materially improve our response to climate change. Only by marshalling the forces of thousands, and eventually millions of citizens, can we manage to reach environmental sceptics, reinforce political action and create the new social norms that are sorely needed in our local, and global, response to climate change.

This book will be of great relevance to scholars and policy makers with an interest in climate change politics and governance, community engagement and sustainable development.

chapter 1|6 pages

Community governance and citizen-driven initiatives in climate change mitigation

An introduction
ByJens Hoff, Quentin Gausset

chapter 2|21 pages

The conundrum of calculating carbon footprints

ByBjarne W. Strobel, Anders Christian Erichsen, Quentin Gausset

chapter 3|26 pages

‘Think globally, act locally'

Climate change mitigation and citizen participation
ByJens Hoff

chapter 5|20 pages

Environmental choices

Hypocrisy, self-contradictions and the tyranny of everyday life
ByQuentin Gausset, Jens Hoff, Christian Elling Scheele, Emilie Nørregaard

chapter 6|18 pages

Energy renovation models in private households in Denmark

ByLise Tjørring, Quentin Gausset

chapter 7|23 pages

Climate ambassador programmes in municipalities

Encouraging climate change mitigation in public administrations and institutions
ByMichael Søgaard Jørgensen, Stine Rahbek Pedersen

chapter 8|20 pages

A local energy transition success story

ByStefanie Baasch

chapter 9|23 pages

Incorporating climate change mitigation programmes in local administration

The case of the CCP programmes in Australia and New Zealand
ByJens Hoff

chapter 10|21 pages

‘A change of just a few degrees'

The possibilities and challenges of local American climate mitigation
ByEbba Lisberg Jensen

chapter 11|21 pages

How many thick television sets can there be in the world?

Recycling workers and customers reflect on changing roles, recycling routines and resource flows
ByEbba Lisberg Jensen

chapter 12|19 pages

Klimafesten

A case study of a municipality's intervention to engage citizens in environmentally sustainable actions
ByEmilie Møllenbach, Kasper Hornbæk

chapter 13|15 pages

Computer games and social innovation

Participation through microcontributions
ByMette Wichmand