Towards sustainable welfare states: where do we stand in the development of an eco-social agenda in Europe?

The paper aims to take stock of where Europe stands in the development of an eco-social agenda in Europe. It asks what are the political challenges and potential for reconciling the three dimensions of sustainability – ecological, social and financial – in rich democracies with mature welfare states. To address this question, the paper will – drawing on findings from a recently concluded international research project – provide new empirical evidence on the development of an eco-social agenda in Europe – at the national as well as supranational level. Here we are interested in assessing what latent or actual scope there is for implementing the transition to low-emission and sustainable welfare states in practice. Our assessment will build on original analyses of primary and secondary qualitative and quantitative data and consider the interplay between macro-level structural factors (e.g. environmental, social and economic challenges) and the political micro-level foundations of advanced democracies, i.e., the values, assumptions and perceptions held by political actors ranging from single individuals to collective organisations like national governments, political parties and civil society organisations. More specifically, we will pull together results from a set of different analyses looking at how European governments, mainstream political parties, civil society and ‘ordinary’ people conceptualise linkages between climate change and welfare policies and how they assess the actual and potential scope for integration across the two policy areas. The project has carried out comparative country case studies in Germany, Italy, Norway and the United Kingdom. By including empirical data on such a broad range of actors, as a whole, we are able to develop a comprehensive basis for identifying the main political opportunities for and obstacles against achieving sustainable European welfare states. Given the prominence of the European Union in influencing the direction and scope of national public policy in Europe, we also consider ‘eco-social’ integration of the policies of the European Union.