Planning for sustainable development. Large scale investments and societal transformation

Several large investments in northern Sweden are associated with a green transformation expected to contribute to both climate change adaptation and sustainable growth.

The purpose of this project is to analyze municipalities’ complex mission to both attract and cater for large external investments and minimize the risk of jeopardizing goals for a sustainable future.

Focusing on the case of Skellefteå and Northvolt, we will analyze how large-scale investments and rapid local change affect local planning strategies and sustainable local development.

This is done to highlight potential challenges and tensions brought on by these investments in northern Sweden and assess the realization of reaching the projected development.

We accomplish this by (i) document analyses on local strategies to alter prevailing images of northern Sweden, and (ii) in-depth interviews with public and private planners and stakeholders to assess perceived choices to cater for sustainable development and the possibility to plan for alternative futures.

This project will thereby provide new knowledge on the implementation of strategic planning processes for sustainability in a situation of rapid transformation.

Through the unique possibility to study the transformation as it unfolds, the results will contribute with unpreceded knowledge on how municipalities may formulate strategies that encompass both demands from large investors and the strive for creating a sustainable future.