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Green economy is a concept frequently used by governments and international institutions to promote sustainable transformations of the economy. In this study, we explore how the transition towards a green economy is being conceptualised in policy terms in the three Nordic countries Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Comparing these cases, we analyse strategic policy documents on green growth, circular economy, bioeconomy, low‐carbon transitions, and sustainable development. While comprehensive national policy strategies on the green economy are lacking, the studied documents display policy approaches that reflect different aspects of a green economic transformations, such as low‐carbon developments, promotion of environmental technology sectors, and enhanced circularity. Our findings indicate the presence of a transformative Nordic model for greening the economy, in which the state plays an active role in supporting innovation and technology development, facilitating cooperation among societal actors, and securing social welfare and human wellbeing. It is underpinned by optimism about the opportunity to reconcile economic growth with sustainable development, while more radical beyond growth approaches are strikingly absent, reflecting their marginal roles in the established policy discourse of these countries. Rather, concepts such as circular economy, sharing economy, and sustainable production and consumption are highlighted as central for greening the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban development politics are being challenged in various ways today, which becomes obvious when analysing strategies for sustainability versus competitiveness. In parallel to this, alternative ways of financing, planning and organizing urban development and transport projects are becoming more common. However, although the use of publicly owned enterprises in urban development is becoming more common it is still a fairly new phenomenon and differs considerably from development led by a traditional government agency. The question analysed in this article is how well equipped these new governing arrangements are to handle goals of both sustainability and economic competitiveness. As a case study we use a special financial and planning model used in the development of public transport (the metro) and a new urban area (Orestad) in Copenhagen, here called the Orestad model. Special focus is given on the creation of the Orestad Development Corporation, a new hybrid development organization, which was given the mandate to develop both Orestad and the metro. The study shows that there is a lot to gain from both a sustainability and an efficiency perspective by integrating land use development and public transport infrastructure in the same hybrid project organization. While there is definitely a tension between the goals of sustainability and competitive image building, the two do not have to be mutually exclusive. Even though the role of the state is transformed in this new governance arrangement, our case clearly shows how the state remains a crucial actor in sustainability governance. However, there is an obvious risk of a lack of strategic thinking and accountability when a hybrid project-oriented organization is responsible for planning. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]