The Carbon Neutral Public Sector
<title>Abstract</title> This paper argues for research into the effectiveness of government strategies for a ‘carbon neutral public sector’. We review initiatives in three OECD countries: New Zealand, Australia and the UK. In all jurisdictions, government agencies have consistently stressed ‘leading by example’ as a rationale for adoption. ‘Direct mandate’ by the Prime Minister (NZ); ‘organic development’ from wider central government sustainability initiatives (UK); and a more ‘laissez faire’ approach by Australian Federal and State Governments, were identified as the general pathways leading to implementation. Our assessment indicates: a lack of understanding of the implementation process for carbon neutrality; a need to identify and critically examine the ‘offset threshold’ at which mitigation efforts cease and offsetting is adopted; an absence of any evaluation of the ‘leading by example’ rationale; a lack of inter-country comparisons; a gap in understanding the relationship with economic and social aspects of sustainability; and a need to evaluate the utility of core government departments as the focus of carbon accounting. We urge colleagues to consider research in this area with a view to contributing to the interdisciplinary solutions which we believe are required.
Year of publication: |
2009
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Authors: | Ball, Amanda ; Mason, Ian ; Grubnic, Suzana ; Hughes, Phil |
Published in: |
Public Management Review. - Taylor & Francis Journals, ISSN 1471-9037. - Vol. 11.2009, 5, p. 575-600
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Publisher: |
Taylor & Francis Journals |
Saved in:
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