Legitima styrmedel

En fallstudie av klimatdeklarationer för byggnader

Abstract

Legitimate policy instruments: The case of climate declarations for buildings Despite an increasing focus on legitimacy in studies of politics and policy, there are few studies of the legitimacy of policy instruments. Claims for a just, equitable and inclusive transition to reach climate policy targets on carbon neutrality increases the importance of legitimacy in studies of climate policy and policy instruments. This as a complement to economists’ analyses of efficiency and cost-effectiveness of policy instruments. In January 2022, a new law on climate declarations for buildings entered into force in Sweden. It is the first policy instrument ever in Sweden explicitly aiming to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings. This paper analyses the input, throughput and output legitimacy of this new policy instrument. We find that the legislative process followed established rules in Swedish democracy, but that the Government Offices failed in justifying its proposal. A majority of the referral bodies and political parties gave support or consent to the Government Offices’ and the government’s proposals. However, several important actors in building design, construction and management as well as law enforcement were critical towards the potential output of the law as well as the policy process. Important actors where actively excluded from the referral process. With the law, a building’s carbon footprint will not be reduced to an appropriate extent and with unclear impacts on social justice. Despite widespread support for the new law, we conclude that input legitimacy and particularly throughput and output legitimacy of the new policy instrument are weak. For future climate policy instruments to meet the standards of political legitimacy and climate justice, governments are recommended to include emissions from the entire lifecycle of buildings and impartially increase social inclusion in the policy processes.