APPLYING INTERSECTIONALITY IN CLIMATE POLICY AND PLANNING : Experiences from Gothenburg and Malmö
(2025) p.200-217- Abstract
This chapter applies a critical feminist theory of intersectionality to analyse the climate policy efforts of two Swedish cities: Gothenburg and Malmö. As cities committed to ambitious climate goals, they are regarded as frontrunners. Actors in both cities acknowledge the challenges posed by organisational structures as they have made efforts to integrate measures, attempting to work more holistically across sectors. Our research combines ‘meeting ethnography’, semi-structured interviews, and policy analysis. It reveals that while civil servants were committed to climate action, a dominant institutional logic rooted in a technocratic and de-politicised understanding of climate issues impeded the transition toward just and sustainable... (More)
This chapter applies a critical feminist theory of intersectionality to analyse the climate policy efforts of two Swedish cities: Gothenburg and Malmö. As cities committed to ambitious climate goals, they are regarded as frontrunners. Actors in both cities acknowledge the challenges posed by organisational structures as they have made efforts to integrate measures, attempting to work more holistically across sectors. Our research combines ‘meeting ethnography’, semi-structured interviews, and policy analysis. It reveals that while civil servants were committed to climate action, a dominant institutional logic rooted in a technocratic and de-politicised understanding of climate issues impeded the transition toward just and sustainable societies. Thus, we argue, it is essential to challenge and transform persistent logics, incorporating approaches that better address the holistic character of climate change. Intersectionality serves as a valuable analytical lens within the policy context, exposing prevailing logics and problematising seemingly apolitical interpretations in climate policy-making and implementation. By doing so, it contributes to (re)politicising climate actions. We conclude that municipalities must engage in ethical reflection, allowing time and space for introspection within their organisations. Fostering an intersectional ethics is crucial for effectively tackling climate problems, leading to more equitable outcomes for both humans and the ‘environment’.
(Less)
- author
- Rask, Nanna ; Lundgren, Angelica and Kronsell, Annica LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-01
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- published
- subject
- host publication
- Feminist Climate Policy in Industrialised States : A Gender-Just Climate Emergency Response - A Gender-Just Climate Emergency Response
- pages
- 18 pages
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105021650095
- ISBN
- 9781040425527
- 9781032590332
- DOI
- 10.4324/9781003461005-16
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 04f5b8e7-b116-4557-8c55-71e629aa620d
- date added to LUP
- 2026-02-10 15:14:54
- date last changed
- 2026-02-24 16:31:51
@inbook{04f5b8e7-b116-4557-8c55-71e629aa620d,
abstract = {{<p>This chapter applies a critical feminist theory of intersectionality to analyse the climate policy efforts of two Swedish cities: Gothenburg and Malmö. As cities committed to ambitious climate goals, they are regarded as frontrunners. Actors in both cities acknowledge the challenges posed by organisational structures as they have made efforts to integrate measures, attempting to work more holistically across sectors. Our research combines ‘meeting ethnography’, semi-structured interviews, and policy analysis. It reveals that while civil servants were committed to climate action, a dominant institutional logic rooted in a technocratic and de-politicised understanding of climate issues impeded the transition toward just and sustainable societies. Thus, we argue, it is essential to challenge and transform persistent logics, incorporating approaches that better address the holistic character of climate change. Intersectionality serves as a valuable analytical lens within the policy context, exposing prevailing logics and problematising seemingly apolitical interpretations in climate policy-making and implementation. By doing so, it contributes to (re)politicising climate actions. We conclude that municipalities must engage in ethical reflection, allowing time and space for introspection within their organisations. Fostering an intersectional ethics is crucial for effectively tackling climate problems, leading to more equitable outcomes for both humans and the ‘environment’.</p>}},
author = {{Rask, Nanna and Lundgren, Angelica and Kronsell, Annica}},
booktitle = {{Feminist Climate Policy in Industrialised States : A Gender-Just Climate Emergency Response}},
isbn = {{9781040425527}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{200--217}},
publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}},
title = {{APPLYING INTERSECTIONALITY IN CLIMATE POLICY AND PLANNING : Experiences from Gothenburg and Malmö}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781003461005-16}},
doi = {{10.4324/9781003461005-16}},
year = {{2025}},
}