How do place-based leaders use strategies to effect change? A case study of the net zero challenge in UK Core cities

Power, Simon James 2022. How do place-based leaders use strategies to effect change? A case study of the net zero challenge in UK Core cities. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

Preview	PDF (PhD) - Accepted Post-Print Version Download (3MB) | Preview
	PDF (Cardiff University Electronic Publication Form) - Supplemental Material Restricted to Repository staff only Download (117kB)

Abstract

Places across the world are grappling with the challenge of significantly reducing their carbon emissions in attempts to be net zero. This research considers how place-based leaders’ effect transformational change, and is one of the first, globally, to consider the application of place-based leadership in net zero city environments. Specifically, it considers how such leaders use the development of place-based strategies as well as place-based governance arrangements to achieve sustainable outcomes. This study addresses three specific research questions which consider, in turn, the aspects of people, place, and power in relation to the applicability of the literature available on place-based leadership. Since, in any study on place-based leadership, it is crucial to understand its relationships with governance, economic, and geographical structures, this work uses a case study of UK Core cities. The eleven UK core cities span four nations and thus incorporate different governance arrangements. Since 2019 and the declaration of climate emergencies, professional and managerial staff in all save one of the cities examined have prepared extensive documentation on their planned approaches to achieving net zero. A detailed examination of this published data forms the core evidence base for this thesis; exploring in depth the context in which the city actors are operating, and regarding what they plan to do and with whom. The results suggest that place-based leadership is a valid and insightful framing for the actions undertaken by the lead actors in the place-based organisations investigated i.e., it is a valid lens through which to examine net zero strategies and climate change governance. The research raises some profound questions around the pertinent boundaries of scale of place for effective action, and whether the application of place-based leadership at a national scale is under theorised. The practical manifestation of this for net zero city practitioners is an imperative to work with all levels of scale and power when developing effective strategies.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Geography and Planning (GEOPL)
Subjects:	G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > G Geography (General)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	PLACE, LEADERSHIP, PLACE-BASED LEADERSHIP, PLACE-BASED POLICY, GOVERNANCE, POWER, STRATEGY, TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE, CLIMATE CHANGE, CLIMATE GOVERNANCE, CITIES, NET ZERO, URBAN SUSTAINABILITY
Funders:	self
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	11 October 2022
Last Modified:	11 Oct 2022 15:54
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/153260

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item