Behaving Clean without Having to Think Green? Local Eco-Technological and Dialogue-Based, Low-Carbon Projects in Sweden

ABSTRACT

Two kinds of local low-carbon initiatives are the focus in this paper: those initiated under the umbrella of a central government program, and those initiated from below by individuals and municipalities in Sweden. The project studied in the first category was focused on eco-technological innovations undertaken by a municipal housing company. The case in the second category was a dialogue-based program with selected citizens willing to test a climate-friendly lifestyle. The latter approach faced strong barriers when going from words to deeds, lacking the large-scale favors of massive eco-technological investments. Highlighting one particular project in each category, we illustrate the potentials and barriers of each approach. It is concluded that policymakers have to find ways to combine the two, otherwise there is a risk that low-carbon committed individuals will become disillusioned or that eco-technological gains will be spoiled by “rebound consumption.”

KEYWORDS:

• Eco-technological approach
• dialogue-focused approach
• low carbon consumer
• climate friendly lifestyle
• deputy consumer

Acknowledgments

Earlier versions of this article were presented at the conference “Devices and Desires: The Cultural Politics of a Low-Carbon Society” at Lund University, April 2014, and at seminars with colleagues of the research network Social and Political Studies on Climate Change (SPSCC) at Örebro University, and the political science group at Mälardalen University. Thanks to those from whom we received constructive comments!

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on Contributors

Eva Gustavsson, a senior lecturer at Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, Örebro University, 702 81 Örebro, Sweden.

Ingemar Elander is a senior professor in the (corresponding author), Centre for Urban and Regional Studies, Örebro University, 702 81 Örebro, Sweden.

ORCiD

Eva Gustavsson http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5486-8273

Ingemar Elander http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7737-5850

Notes

1. Naturvårdsverket = Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.

2. About 1/5 of the respondents in a recent national survey said they did not care about the climate when consuming (Carlsson et al., 2015).

3. There is a growing body of literature surveying and recommending policy on “sustainable community development” and related themes, including climate change mitigation and adaptation. See for example Joss et al., (2014), and Flint (2012).

4. ‘Municipality’ is the common legal label of all 290 basic, local, self-governing units in Sweden whatever their size and geographical location. Elected by the people every fourth year, the municipal council is the basic representative body. The term ‘local government’ refers to the municipality (city/ town/community) as a collective political actor.

5. Local governments in Sweden are responsible for social services as well as for the physical infrastructure requirements of industry, commerce, and the public, e.g., roads, water, and drainage.

6. The current Vice President of the network is an assistant manager of ÖrebroBostäder (EURHONET, 2014).

7. Atemp is an area term used in Sweden when calculating the buildings' energy usage in KWh/m2/year while performing energy assessments (Boverket, 2014).

8. The pamphlet is available on an Internet site (SABO, 2009). “The founding father” of the pamphlet, Jonas Tannerstad, at the time was responsible for electricity, steering, and regulation at ÖrebroBostäder.

9. Although we have not had the opportunity to investigate to what extent these tips are followed, the fact that they have been formulated by a technician employed at the housing company, and are published on the website of the Swedish Association of Public Housing Companies representing almost 300 housing companies at least indicates a great potential of energy-saving practices in Swedish multifamily housing.

10. Author interviews with three persons in the district management staff of the housing company conducted in May 2015. Notably, one of the three, the refurbishment coordinator, has been in contact with all households moving in.

11. One of our interviewees who felt the temperature in the apartment was too low installed a separate radiator, but stopped using it when the family received their first, quite substantial electricity bill.

12. In Vivalla 81 percent of the inhabitants have a foreign background as compared to 23 percent in Örebro municipality as a whole. Corresponding figures in level of employment are 37 respective 76 percent, and in income (median net income after taxes and other transfers) SEK 132 000 respective SEK 221 000. (Source: Örebro kommun and SCB 2016).

Additional information

Funding

The article is based on research funded by the EU LEADER Mellansjölandet Program [50,000 SEK], the Delegation for Sustainable Cities [442,800 SEK], the municipal housing company ÖrebroBostäder AB and nine other housing companies, organizations, and municipalities [700, 000 SEK].