Sustainable municipal solid waste management: A comparative analysis of enablers and barriers to advance governance in the Arctic

Abstract

Despite the proliferation of studies on waste governance over the past decades, comparative research on advancing sustainable municipal solid waste management (MSWM) in medium-sized cities across various political regimes and remote geographies has been overlooked. Comprehending factors for governance advancement is critical for Arctic cities, as they face unique challenges due to their geographical remoteness, population size, economic constraints, and severe weather conditions. This qualitative study, drawn from the cases of Anchorage (USA), Murmansk (Russia), and Tromsø (Norway), uses Evolutionary Governance Theory (EGT) to examine how dependencies between actors and institutions enable and create barriers to the advancement of MSWM. Our analysis indicates that path dependencies enable innovations or create barriers to local waste policies, depending on municipal authority and capacity. Further, interdependencies enable the advancement of MSWM when there is commitment from local leadership. Goal dependencies create barriers to advancing MSWM when there is a lack of overarching alignment with actor and institution goals. Our research contributes to EGT by showing how geography and population size influence MSWM. This study highlights the importance of understanding local capacity, leadership commitment, adapting global and national regulations to local contexts, and securing public support to integrate waste policies into everyday practices.

Keywords: Authority; Dependency; Local leadership; Political regime; Waste reduction.