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Mobilising community action towards a low-carbon future: Opportunities and challenges for local government in the UK

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  • Peters, Michael
  • Fudge, Shane
  • Sinclair, Philip

Abstract

Over the last decade the important role that local authorities can play in catalyzing community action on climate change has been repeatedly emphasised by the UK Government. The paper examines this policy context and explores the options available to local authorities in terms of reaching and engaging their communities. The type of progressive response shown by some UK local authorities is illustrated with empirical evidence gathered through a study conducted in the London Borough of Islington focusing on their recently established 'Green Living Centre'. The results confirm interest in this major council-led community initiative, with positive attitudes expressed by the majority of those questioned in terms of the advice and information available. However, it is also clear that many participants had preexisting pro-environmental attitudes and behavioural routines. Results from a broader sample of Islington residents indicate a substantial challenge in reaching the wider community, where enthusiasm for sustainability change and interest in this type of scheme were more mixed. The prospect for local government in addressing this challenge - and their ability to trigger and capitalize upon concepts of social change at the community level towards a lower carbon future - is discussed in the final part of the paper.

Suggested Citation

  • Peters, Michael & Fudge, Shane & Sinclair, Philip, 2010. "Mobilising community action towards a low-carbon future: Opportunities and challenges for local government in the UK," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(12), pages 7596-7603, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:38:y:2010:i:12:p:7596-7603
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    1. Hoicka, Christina E. & MacArthur, Julie L., 2018. "From tip to toes: Mapping community energy models in Canada and New Zealand," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 162-174.
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    3. Dalia Streimikiene & Tomas Baležentis & Artiom Volkov & Mangirdas Morkūnas & Agnė Žičkienė & Justas Streimikis, 2021. "Barriers and Drivers of Renewable Energy Penetration in Rural Areas," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-28, October.
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    11. Robert Shaw, 2014. "Streetlighting in England and Wales: New Technologies and Uncertainty in the Assemblage of Streetlighting Infrastructure," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 46(9), pages 2228-2242, September.
    12. Schillebeeckx, Simon J.D. & Parikh, Priti & Bansal, Rahul & George, Gerard, 2012. "An integrated framework for rural electrification: Adopting a user-centric approach to business model development," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 687-697.
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    15. Youhyun Lee & Bomi Kim & Heeju Hwang, 2020. "Which Institutional Conditions Lead to a Successful Local Energy Transition? Applying Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis to Solar PV Cases in South Korea," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-19, July.
    16. Yadoo, Annabel & Gormally, Alexandra & Cruickshank, Heather, 2011. "Low-carbon off-grid electrification for rural areas in the United Kingdom: Lessons from the developing world," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(10), pages 6400-6407, October.
    17. Hana Kim, 2017. "A Community Energy Transition Model for Urban Areas: The Energy Self-Reliant Village Program in Seoul, South Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-18, July.
    18. Parag, Yael & Hamilton, Jo & White, Vicki & Hogan, Bernie, 2013. "Network approach for local and community governance of energy: The case of Oxfordshire," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 1064-1077.
    19. Azalia Mohamed & Zelina Zaiton Ibrahim & Abu Daud Silong & Ramdzani Abdullah, 2016. "Distributed Leadership in a Low-Carbon City Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-21, July.
    20. Dunkley, Ria A. & Franklin, Alex, 2017. "Failing better: The stochastic art of evaluating community-led environmental action programs," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 112-122.
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    22. Beau Warbroek & Thomas Hoppe, 2017. "Modes of Governing and Policy of Local and Regional Governments Supporting Local Low-Carbon Energy Initiatives; Exploring the Cases of the Dutch Regions of Overijssel and Fryslân," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-36, January.
    23. Li, Fujia & Dong, Suocheng & Li, Zehong & Li, Yu & Li, Shantong & Wan, Yongkun, 2012. "The improvement of CO2 emission reduction policies based on system dynamics method in traditional industrial region with large CO2 emission," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 683-695.
    24. Mardones D., Cristián, 2019. "Short- and long-term ex post evaluation of community-based environmental initiatives in Chile," Revista CEPAL, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), August.
    25. Jennifer C Rogers & Eunice A Simmons & Ian Convery & Andrew Weatherall, 2012. "What factors enable community leadership of renewable energy projects? Lessons from a woodfuel heating initiative," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 27(2), pages 209-222, March.

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