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The Low Carbon Economy pp 33–57Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

The Influence of Policy, Public Service, and Local Politics on the Shift to a Low-Carbon Economy in the East Midlands

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Abstract

This chapter charts the shift from sustainable development policy drivers, through the emergence of climate policy and its impact on public service managers, to the more recent development of low-carbon policy. We also explore the relationship between local business, the local political ‘regime’, the national and European political ‘landscape’ and implications for local actors in the East Midlands; arguing that while low-carbon policy might be more in tune with political realities than attempts at wholesale reductions of carbon emissions, it has brought into question the viability of existing carbon reduction targets. In doing this, we explore the tensions between the ‘grand challenge’ of climate change, the difficult details of policy implementation and the pragmatic reality of business practice.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Sheffield, Derby, UK

    Warren Pearce

  2. Derby Business School, University of Derby, Derby, UK

    Fred Paterson

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  1. Warren Pearce
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  2. Fred Paterson
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Correspondence to Fred Paterson .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Derby Business School, University of Derby, Derby, United Kingdom

    Polina Baranova

  2. Derby Business School, University of Derby, Derby, United Kingdom

    Elaine Conway

  3. Derby Business School, University of Derby, Derby, United Kingdom

    Nicola Lynch

  4. Derby Business School, University of Derby, Derby, United Kingdom

    Fred Paterson

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Pearce, W., Paterson, F. (2017). The Influence of Policy, Public Service, and Local Politics on the Shift to a Low-Carbon Economy in the East Midlands. In: Baranova, P., Conway, E., Lynch, N., Paterson, F. (eds) The Low Carbon Economy. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56753-2_3

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