Shades of Green: A Comparative Analysis of U.S. Green Economies

Recent attention from scholars, policymakers, and practitioners has focused on the importance of green economy development in achieving sustainability. Efforts, however, have been complicated by the lack of agreement on what a green economy is or how to transition to one. Drawing insights from environmental sociology, new state theory, and science and technology studies, I conduct a comparative analysis of select U.S. cities with recognized green economies. Findings indicate that in each economy, the strength and role of institutions and actors is unique, forming distinct networks that vary in their pursuit of socio-environmental goals.