City-Level Decoupling-Case Studies

CITY-LEVEL DECOUPLING: URBAN RESOURCE FLOWS AND THE GOVERNANCE OF INFRASTRUCTURE TRANSITIONS

high costs of new piping. Between 1998 and 2005, the City of Växjö provided subsidies to citizens for the conversion of oil heating to biomass heating. 224 Even though Växjö residents have the freedom to choose their energy provider, most have opted for the local district heating provider given the renewable energy option is around 50% cheaper than oil heating. 225 In addition to heating, the city produces 20% of the total demand for electricity using renewable sources. The rest comes from places beyond Växjö’s borders and is mainly based on hydropower and nuclear power. The City of Växjö has been lobbying the national government for improvements to its power sources, 226 and measures are in place to change behaviour in order to improve energy efficiency. One example is an initiative in which clients can check their energy consumption online and see how they can save more energy and consequently also money. In recent years, state-owned companies have begun to build energy efficient wooden buildings, including Växjö’s first passive houses. 227 228 is the next challenge. A travel survey in 2004 indicated that approximately 60% of all travels are made by car and that 50% of the car travels are shorter than 5 km. Actions undertaken by the city to increase the use of other means of transportation include the expansion of bicycle paths and other incentives to encourage bicycle use. The city has tried to reduce the impact of private motor vehicles by providing municipal subsidies to help citizens to purchase cars with lower environmental impact between 2002 and 2005, and offering free parking in the city centre to cars with lower environmental impact. A biogas plant using organic waste from households is planned to be launched in 2013. It will have the capacity to produce biogas fuel to supply the city bus fleet and for 500-1,000 vehicles. 229 The municipality recognizes that making public transport more attractive is a priority as 45% of families in Växjö don't own a car, 230 but relative to energy provision, public transport has thus far not received much attention as part of the Fossil Fuel Free Växjö programme. 231 The city’s ability to establish cooperation in several levels and mobilize resources should be highlighted. From involving NGOs and achieving consensus among politicians in the 1990s, to integrating international networks and using funds from the European Union and the national government to partly fund its initiatives, 232 Växjö has demonstrated how it could benefit from a diverse range of cooperation efforts. The city has also explored the potential of its local characteristics to design its environmental strategy. It took full advantage of its geographical location in an area with plenty of forests, where small and medium entrepreneurs were willing to partner with the local authority for mutual benefits. It helps that its background with urban sustainability dates back to 1970s when city lakes were restored. 233 Even though the initial motivation to substitute fossil fuel for renewable energy in Växjö’s heating system was more economic and political rather than environmental, it resulted in significant contribution to urban sustainability. Växjö has tested new technology and built the necessary knowledge to be one of the early adopters of a low carbon agenda. The ability to establish cooperation among different actors was essential to keep the city environmental programme and push the initiative forward. Another positive aspect is that the city report on progress also exposes the shortfalls – not always a common practice. Most of the achievements in Växjö thus far have been Mobility, which accounts for around 68% of CO 2 emissions,

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