Rethinking the Green State : Environmental governance towards climate and sustainability transitions

This book advances thinking on how to understand the emergence of a green state in the context of climate and sustainability transitions. The book theorizes the green state from political theory, feminist theory, post-structuralism, governance and institutional theory. It empirically examines the performance of states and institutional responses to the sustainable and climate transitions in the European and Nordic context in particular. It critically explores different principles guiding the emergence of the green state and for example its linkages to the welfare state.

This innovative book is one of the first to conduct a systematic comprehensive analysis of the ideals and practices of the evolving green state. It draws on elements of political theory, feminist theory, post-structuralism, governance and institutional theory to conceptualise the green state and advances thinking on how to understand its emergence in the context of climate and sustainability transitions. Focusing on the state as an actor in environmental, climate and sustainability politics, the book explores different principles guiding the emergence of the green state and examines the performance of states and institutional responses to the sustainable and climate transitions in the European and Nordic context in particular. The book’s unique focus on the Nordic countries underlines the important to learn from Nordics, which are perceived to be in the forefront of climate and sustainability governance as well as historically strong welfare states.

With chapter contributions from leading international scholars in political science, sociology, economics, energy and environmental systems and climate policy studies, this book will be of great value to postgraduate students and researchers working on sustainability transitions, environmental politics and governance, and those with an area studies focus on the Nordic countries.