Removing barriers in the transition towards sustainability: An analysis of the policy instrument sustainable public procurement in the infrastructure sector.

Abstract

Sustainable development is recognized as a cross-sectional grand societal challenge, which needs both a global behavioural transformation and local initiatives. It is impossible to steer society towards sustainable development without effective governance mechanisms, in which governmental parties and policy instruments are essential. Being one of the largest procurement categories for local government, the infrastructure sector is very much affected by the developments regarding sustainable public procurement. However, it remains unclear which barriers hamper the transition towards sustainability in the infrastructure sector, and whether the policy instrument “sustainable public procurement” can take away these barriers. This research focuses on this gap in knowledge in transition policy and sustainable procurement processes. Knowledge on the relation between cause and barriers, and on the effects of the structural causes on the functioning of the system, gives insight in why the system fails to transition towards sustainability.