Intersectionality and climate policy-making: The inclusion of social difference by three Swedish government agencies

Gunnhildur Lily Magnusdottir,Benedict E Singleton,Annica Kronsell,Nanna Rask

doi:10.1177/23996544211005778

Gunnhildur Lily Magnusdottir, Benedict E Singleton + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/23996544211005778

Copy DOI

Abstract

Climate change effects, views and approaches vary based on geographical location, class, gender, age and other climate related social factors. It is thus relevant to explore how various government bodies/authorities involved in dealing with climate change represent and act on social difference across diverse societies. This article performs a discourse analysis of climate policy documents from three Swedish government agencies: the Transport Administration, the Energy Agency, and the Environmental Protection Agency. This in order to explore how the different agencies represent social difference: what is made visible; what is obscured; what are the implications? We collected a purposive, collated sample of literature through online searches and personal communications with agency staff. We apply an intersectional approach to the sampled literature. The article finds that while each agency articulates an awareness of social difference, this tends to manifest in broad terms. It argues that this has the effect of obscuring differential climate impacts and effects of climate action, with potential environmental justice implications. Finally, the article concludes by proposing that incorporating intersectional approaches will support more effective, inclusive and equitable climate action, in Sweden and elsewhere.

Highlights

International climate objectives– as in the Paris Agreement and in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – require substantial societal changes (Nilsson et al, 2013) largely implementable at a national level
Previous research on climate policy-making indicates that climate institutions in the Global North, e.g. in the European context, lack knowledge about climate relevant social differences, vital for reaching the SDGs’ justice and equity measures (Alber et al, 2017; Allwood, 2014; Buckingham and Le Masson, 2017: 3–5; Magnusdottir and Kronsell, 2015, 2016)
Sweden is considered a progressive example of contemporary climate governance (Hildingsson, 2014; Lundqvist, 2004) with ambitious climate policy targets (Tobin, 2015; Zannakis, 2009) as well as environmental performance (Burck et al, 2018; OECD, 2014)

Summary

Introduction

International climate objectives– as in the Paris Agreement and in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – require substantial societal changes (Nilsson et al, 2013) largely implementable at a national level. Keywords Climate policy, intersectionality, social difference, environmental justice, Sweden We explore how social differences appear within the climate change policies of three Swedish government agencies through a critical discourse analysis of their key steering documents.

Results

Conclusion