“Framing the Green New Deal for local governance” Dr. Romsdahl’s new article

Framing the Green New Deal for Local Governance

Published in the “The Green New Deal: Pathways to a Low Carbon Economy” –  Public Administration Review, Bully Pulpit Symposium, (see number 10 in the listed commentaries)

Summary:

A vision for a more sustainable American future, titled The Green New Deal (GND), was proposed in Congress in late 2018 and has prompted much discussion in the media, government, and across society. The GND follows in the footsteps of President Franklin Roosevelt’s historic legacy that helped lift the United States out of the Great Depression, but this modern proposal emphasizes our society’s environmental health and seeks to link this with our traditional perspectives of economic and human health.

Even though the GND includes many goals that are important to local governance, like energy transitions and job training programs, the plan overall has been framed negatively by its opponents. In an online discussion forum, Prof. Rebecca Romsdahl argues that if we want the GND to become reality, it needs to be reframed by local government within local contexts. Community discussions can help identify issues people care about and provide a means for the public and government to co-develop locally relevant frames that build support for the important policy opportunities proposed in the GND. Read her commentary and the full forum.