ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the nexuses between government, governance, and local sustainability, as they emerged in the research. It illustrates how governments manage a transition towards local sustainability through governance processes outside the scope of traditional governmental activities. Local governments have become involved in networks to ensure the realisation of activities that pertain to the public interest. Although local governments are key agencies for initiating changes, many decisions cannot be addressed by local political actors alone. The chapter focuses on the common model of local sustainability and analyses how the traditional three pillars of sustainable development are functionally interrelated. It reports on the DISCUS project, examining the principal research question. The chapter illustrates the processes of government and governance in the cities, reflecting upon how stakeholders and local government perceive their relationship in the field of sustainability.
