Analyzing the Nexus: Political Infrastructure and Communication Strategies in Shaping Public Response to London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone
Faculty Mentor
Soenke Biermann
Major/Area of Research
Global Studies, Climate Change, Sustainable Transportation Policies
Description
In 2015, the United Kingdom, along with 195 other states, committed to reducing carbon emissions as outlined in the Paris Agreement. Now, well into the journey to- wards the 2030 deadline, London, like many cities, faces challenges in implementing sustainable transportation solutions to achieve carbon neutrality, and has specifically struggled with striking a balance between effective policy implementation and gaining community support, particularly evident in the August 2023 expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). This transdisciplinary qualitative case study examines how the policy communication strategy used by The Greater London Authority to promote the ULEZ has influenced the current relationship between policymakers and the impacted community in the Greater London area. The data was collected over a three-month period between September and November 2023 from participant observations on existing public modes of transport in London, inter- views with policy, electric vehicle and sustainability experts, a survey targeted to- wards uncovering Londoners’ perceptions of the ULEZ, public consultation and political polls, and archival research in the Transport for London (TfL) database. The primary finding of this study underscores the significance of a post-implementation communication strategy to sustain uptake and justify environmental policies, which may be as crucial, if not more so, than pre-implementation efforts aimed at public education. The shift from pre- to post-implementation is significant as it moves from speculative estimations to factual data that substantiates the actual benefits of the policy, which serves to bolster public support and ensure policy longevity. Furthermore, while public support may not be a prerequisite for an environmental policy to be initiated, it may be necessary to sustain the political infrastructure that the policy relies on. The significance and purpose of this research is to remind future policymakers of the importance of well-tailored communication strategies to gain public support when implementing environmental policies.
Analyzing the Nexus: Political Infrastructure and Communication Strategies in Shaping Public Response to London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone
In 2015, the United Kingdom, along with 195 other states, committed to reducing carbon emissions as outlined in the Paris Agreement. Now, well into the journey to- wards the 2030 deadline, London, like many cities, faces challenges in implementing sustainable transportation solutions to achieve carbon neutrality, and has specifically struggled with striking a balance between effective policy implementation and gaining community support, particularly evident in the August 2023 expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). This transdisciplinary qualitative case study examines how the policy communication strategy used by The Greater London Authority to promote the ULEZ has influenced the current relationship between policymakers and the impacted community in the Greater London area. The data was collected over a three-month period between September and November 2023 from participant observations on existing public modes of transport in London, inter- views with policy, electric vehicle and sustainability experts, a survey targeted to- wards uncovering Londoners’ perceptions of the ULEZ, public consultation and political polls, and archival research in the Transport for London (TfL) database. The primary finding of this study underscores the significance of a post-implementation communication strategy to sustain uptake and justify environmental policies, which may be as crucial, if not more so, than pre-implementation efforts aimed at public education. The shift from pre- to post-implementation is significant as it moves from speculative estimations to factual data that substantiates the actual benefits of the policy, which serves to bolster public support and ensure policy longevity. Furthermore, while public support may not be a prerequisite for an environmental policy to be initiated, it may be necessary to sustain the political infrastructure that the policy relies on. The significance and purpose of this research is to remind future policymakers of the importance of well-tailored communication strategies to gain public support when implementing environmental policies.