Governance, knowledge and sustainability: the implementation of EU directives on air quality in Southampton

Abstract

This article describes the implementation of the EU directive relating to air quality and the setting up of the Local Air Quality Management regime in the city of Southampton. This case study research was part of the Governance for Sustainability project (G-FORS), a 3-year project financed by the European Union's Sixth Research Programme. The objective of the project was to develop an innovative analytical model for the study of governance for sustainability with a particular emphasis on how knowledge was drawn upon and utilised in practice. We explain how the governance arrangements have helped or prevented the transfer of different forms of knowledge through policy implementation and therefore had an impact on the effectiveness of the local policy. Document review and analysis, actor mapping and interviews have helped us in this process. We have also drawn some policy lessons on the delivery mechanisms of air quality management in England.