How Do Local Officials Conceptualize Sustainability as Practiced in Their Communities?

Abstract

Problem, research strategy, and findings

Although they play a key role in shaping local efforts, there is limited research on how city officials define sustainability as it is practiced in their communities. To address this limitation and contribute to planning research, we leveraged a unique nationwide data set of sustainability definitions provided by the sustainability lead in more than 400 U.S city governments. Our study’s qualitative analysis of these statements complements existing research by exploring emerging themes on how sustainability is perceived and practiced at the local level. Results indicated that practitioners’ conceptualizations reflected five general orientation categories: action, aspiration, emotion, process and organization, and progress. We evaluated the association of these general orientation categories with cities’ administrative arrangements, political environments, resources, and capacities. Findings suggested that supportive contexts were associated with city sustainability staff defining sustainability in aspirational terms, as opposed to emphasizing progress or discrete actions.

Takeaway for practice

We examined how city sustainability leaders characterize its practice, using their own words provided in response to an open-ended survey question. We found that organizational context, including the presence of a sustainability budget, staff, and political support, was associated with differences in the fundamental nature of the responses provided. This is important because these local government officials influence how the broad objective of sustainability is practiced in their communities. Overall, our research adds value to the planning profession by assessing how sustainability professionals defined sustainability with greater nuance than previous studies and establishing a departure point for explaining why such differences exist.

Keywords:

• city sustainability
• national survey
• qualitative analysis
• sustainability planning

RESEARCH SUPPORT

This article is based on work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. 2021044 and 2020904. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding authors (C.V.H., R.M.K.) upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sarah L. Hofmeyer

SARAH L. HOFMEYER ([email protected]) is a doctoral student at the School of Public Affairs and Administration, University of Kansas, studying urban policy and the agri-food system.

Christopher V. Hawkins

CHRISTOPHER V. HAWKINS ([email protected]) is a professor in the School of Public Administration at the University of Central Florida.

Rachel M. Krause

RACHEL M. KRAUSE ([email protected]) is a professor in the School of Public Affairs and Administration at the University of Kansas.

Angela Park

ANGELA PARK ([email protected]) is an assistant professor at KDI School specializing in local sustainability management and governance research.