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Collaborative governance as a means of navigating the uncertainties of sustainability transformations: The case of Finnish food packaging

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  • Sundqvist-Andberg, Henna
  • Åkerman, Maria

Abstract

The use of disposable packaging is essential to the performance of global food systems, but it has led to global environmental problems. There is a recognised need for collaborative governance, because authoritative governance alone cannot push forward the systemic sustainability transformations required to resolve these challenges. In this qualitative case study, we apply interpretive policy analysis to study actors' motivations and experiences of deliberation. The aim is to understand how institutional ambiguities, caused by the intertwining of waste and food policies, shape collaboration around two different types of collaborative governance initiatives that address food packaging in Finland – the Plastics Roadmap and the Material Efficiency Commitment for the food industry. The results show that the deliberation is shaped by different sustainability narratives which have contradictory roles for food packaging. The contradiction arises from food and plastic policies which fail to properly address food packaging and its functions. By pointing to the importance of uncertainties in the governance of food packaging, our results emphasise the need to increase the understanding of institutional ambiguities related to policy topics that fall between the big policy debates. These ambiguities are nevertheless important and need to be addressed while attempting to achieve broader sustainability goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Sundqvist-Andberg, Henna & Åkerman, Maria, 2022. "Collaborative governance as a means of navigating the uncertainties of sustainability transformations: The case of Finnish food packaging," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:197:y:2022:i:c:s0921800922001173
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2022.107455
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Béné, Christophe & Oosterveer, Peter & Lamotte, Lea & Brouwer, Inge D. & de Haan, Stef & Prager, Steve D. & Talsma, Elise F. & Khoury, Colin K., 2019. "When food systems meet sustainability – Current narratives and implications for actions," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 116-130.
    2. Bruce Paton, 2000. "Voluntary environmental initiatives and sustainable industry," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 9(5), pages 328-338, September.
    3. Berg, Annukka & Hukkinen, Janne I., 2011. "The paradox of growth critique: Narrative analysis of the Finnish sustainable consumption and production debate," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 151-160.
    4. Chakori, Sabrina & Aziz, Ammar Abdul & Smith, Carl & Dargusch, Paul, 2021. "Untangling the underlying drivers of the use of single-use food packaging," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    5. van den Hove, Sybille, 2000. "Participatory approaches to environmental policy-making: the European Commission Climate Policy Process as a case study," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(3), pages 457-472, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lotta Ruippo & Hanna Koivula & Jaana Korhonen & Anne Toppinen & Eliisa Kylkilahti, 2023. "Innovating for Sustainability: Attributes, Motivations, and Responsibilities in the Finnish Food Packaging Ecosystem," Circular Economy and Sustainability,, Springer.

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