Intermediary Strategies for Supporting Companies with Policy Implementation Challenges A Multisectoral Study of EU ETS 2 and the Green Claims Directive

Abstract

Despite ambitious climate targets set by the EU and Sweden, a significant implementation gap remains between policy goals and real-world actual outcomes. This thesis investigates how an intermediary organisation, such as RISE Research Institute of Sweden, can support companies in closing this gap with focus on two forthcoming EU directives – the revised EU Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS 2) and the Green Claims directive (GCD) in Sweden. The study specifically aims at identifying challenges that companies in the Swedish energy, manufacturing and building sector face in relation to these directives and identifying strategies that intermediary organisations can develop to address these. A qualitative case study approach was used, involving 9 semi-structured interviews within the different sectors and a workshop with stakeholders from RISE. Findings were analysed using an analytical framework based on prior literature, that included both a system-and actor-level dimension. Regarding challenges companies faces, the findings showed a wide range of barriers at the both the system-and actor-level. System-level challenges included policy risk- and design issues, financial constraints, cultural resistance and infrastructural barriers. Actor-level challenges related to limited company resources and organisational structures specific to individual companies. To address these challenges, several intermediary strategies that organisations like RISE can adopt were identified across three dimensions: managing and regulating, capacity building and problem solving. At the system-level, these were related to offering verification services and providing clear, accessible information. At the actor-level, they involved delivering educational support and consultancy services. While some challenges were addressed by multiple intermediary strategies, particularly those related to infrastructure and company resources, others related to culture and policy risk-and design remain largely unaddressed. The outcome of this study contributes to theory by offering empirical insight on challenges and strategies related to EU ETS 2 and GCD in a Swedish setting. Some findings aligned with previous literature while some were newly discovered, highlighting new dimensions to the policy implementation gap. The multi-levelled strategies identified may also be scalable, offering potential support for companies with other climate policies. Ultimately, the thesis concludes that an intermediary organisation like RISE can play an important role in helping companies comply with the challenges identified in this study.