This proposal aims to offer a refreshing contribution to sustainable environmental/ energy strategies by focussing on cities (or urban areas) as catalytic actors for effective energy conservation strategies and environmental manaqement strategies.
The background of this proposal is formed by the fact that most people in Europe live in urban areas and that urban areas are becominq increasingly important institutional actors.
The study provides the methodology, application and policy analysis of a comparative investigation into critical success conditions of such strategies in European cities.
The main emphasis will be on the question how renewable energy policy has been used - and can be used - as an effective contribution to 'urban greenhouse policy' in Europe.
Based on a systematic, in depth cross-comparative contrast analysis of 12 cities in 3 European countries (Greece, Italy, The Netherlands) - ranging from large to medium size -, so-called urban greenhouse scores (following the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change guidelines) will be assessed in order to propose policy strategies based on quantitative information. The potential of new sustainable city strategies will be explored by using a so-called Pentagon model for the identification of critical success factors, followed by a meta-analysis for comparative purposes. The study will generate applicable policy lessons and recommendations for sustainable city strategies in Europe.
Further details on the actual research strategy can be found in the Technical Annex.