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Project title

Green Parties in Government and Climate Policy: A Comparative Study

Primary Funding Agency

Irish Research Council

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

University of Limerick (UL)

Lead Applicant

n/a

Project Abstract

Over the past 25 years, as climate change has emerged on domestic policy agendas, Green parties have begun to participate in governments in a wide range of countries. Yet, the success or failure of Green parties in national governments in implementing and pursuing an ambitious climate policy is quite diverse and still a mostly unexplored phenomenon. This project asks: has the participation of Green parties in government influenced climate policy? And why have some Green parties in government succeeded in �greening� national climate policy, while others have failed? To answer the first question, this study will compare the climate policies of �Green� governments and non-Green governments in parliamentary systems from 1995 to 2020. It will be the first study to focus on policy outputs directly linked to government actions, rather than policy outcomes, such as greenhouse gas emissions, which are only indirectly linked to government actions. The advanced quantitative methods this part of the project will use have been applied to analyse other policy areas but constitute an innovation in the study of parties� influence on climate policy. The second question, on the variation in Green parties� influence on national climate policy, will be examined through in-depth case studies of Green parties in government in four European countries. So far, there have been few studies of differences in the climate policy influence of Green parties in government. Answering this question will involve studying documents and interviewing members of the climate policy community. This research project will allow us to learn more about if, how, and under what conditions Green parties in government impact an ambitious national climate policy. In answering these questions, the project makes important contributions to the literatures on comparative climate policy and party government, with policy implications for climate policy, Green parties, and their political rivals.

Grant Approved

�53,456.00

Research Hub

Climate research

Research Theme

Achieving climate neutrality by 2050.

Start Date

01/09/2021

Initial Projected Completion Date

31/08/2023