The green transition as boundary object? On green cross-border collaboration in the Danish-German borderlands

In the article, we present the results of a study testing the hypothesis that the green transition constitutes a boundary object in the Danish–German border region, motivating and enabling cross-border collaboration between actors with multiple, dissimilar and potentially contrasting border practices, interests and perceptions. If so, the green transition may develop into a powerful driver of cross-border integration, which could galvanize actors across sectors to overcome existing barriers to cross-border collaboration, be these legal, administrative, political, economic, social or cultural. To test our hypothesis empirically, we investigated motivations for cross-border collaboration in the German–Danish border region. On both sides of the border and across sectors, the green transition is perceived as a major opportunity for regional development requiring reinforced cross-border collaboration. Despite the green transition thus appearing to function as a motivation to enhance cross-border collaboration in the region, we show how its potential to act as a boundary object is far from being brought to fruition. Existing and well-known barriers to cross-border collaboration remain in place without being sufficiently addressed. This invites a discussion of whether and how the green transition may effectively become a driver of cross-border collaboration in European border regions.