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Sustainable Welfare in Swedish Cities: Challenges of Eco-Social Integration in Urban Sustainability Governance

Author

Listed:
  • Jamil Khan

    (Environmental and Energy System Studies, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden)

  • Roger Hildingsson

    (Department of Political Science, Lund University, 221 00 Lund, Sweden)

  • Lisa Garting

    (Hållbar Utveckling Skåne, Sustainable Development Scania, 211 55 Malmö, Sweden)

Abstract

In this paper, we study the integration of ecological sustainability and social welfare concerns in cities. Efforts to handle ecological challenges risk having negative impacts on equality and social welfare. While current levels of consumption and material welfare are unsustainable, there is a need for more sustainable approaches to welfare and wellbeing. Still, ecological and social concerns in urban governance are treated as separated topics. Based on text analysis of policy documents and qualitative interviews, we study how ecological and social welfare concerns are being addressed and integrated into urban planning in three Swedish cities (Stockholm, Göteborg, Malmö). Theoretically, the paper draws on conceptualizations of sustainable welfare, social and ecological sustainability, and policy integration. We find ecological and social welfare concerns being acknowledged as interconnected and we see signs of an emerging sustainable welfare agenda in the cities, e.g., around Agenda 2030. However, in practice, eco-social policy integration is only established to a limited degree, for instance in neighborhood development, transport planning, and green city planning. Issues of ecological justice and equity and the relationship between socioeconomic factors and consumption-related environmental impacts are hardly addressed. Thus, much remains to be done for eco-social policy integration to materialize at the urban level.

Suggested Citation

  • Jamil Khan & Roger Hildingsson & Lisa Garting, 2020. "Sustainable Welfare in Swedish Cities: Challenges of Eco-Social Integration in Urban Sustainability Governance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:1:p:383-:d:304760
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Bibri, Simon Elias, 2022. "Eco-districts and data-driven smart eco-cities: Emerging approaches to strategic planning by design and spatial scaling and evaluation by technology," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    2. Adams, Clare & Frantzeskaki, Niki & Moglia, Magnus, 2023. "Mainstreaming nature-based solutions in cities: A systematic literature review and a proposal for facilitating urban transitions," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    3. Rosa M. Muñoz & Yolanda Salinero & M. Valle Fernández, 2020. "Sustainability, Entrepreneurship, and Disability: A New Challenge for Universities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-11, March.
    4. Felipe Teixeira Dias & Ana Regina de Aguiar Dutra & Anelise Leal Vieira Cubas & Matheus Frederico Ferreira Henckmaier & Max Courval & José Baltazar Salgueirinho Osório de Andrade Guerra, 2023. "Sustainable development with environmental, social and governance: Strategies for urban sustainability," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(1), pages 528-539, February.

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