Three tensions in governing energy demand: A social practice perspective on Nordic urban interventions

Affecting future urban energy demand will play a significant role in mitigating climate emissions. While the literature has amply focused on the outputs of successful urban climate governance, there has been less focus on the organisational challenge that affecting energy demand will represent. By foregrounding the work practices of civil servants engaging with these issues, this study offers new insights into the possibilities and constraints of affecting energy demand. Inspired by work on social practice theory applied to organisations, it maps the tools, materialities and identity-related dynamics that affect civil servants' work. Empirically, the paper builds on interviews, document analysis and field notes taken in ten Nordic cities. The paper finds that the local agency for governing urban demand is contingent on navigating three tensions: (1) broadening the benefits of climate measures beyond carbon emissions, (2) challenging often politically attractive technologies, and the associated range of actors seen as relevant and (3) clarifying the role and responsibility of municipalities in relation to intervening in citizen's energy demand. By identifying the organisational tensions that civil servants face, the paper helps to understand the challenges encountered in advancing a local climate agenda, and the novel forms of agency that organisations can mobilise. •Taking a social practice lens, this paper studies the tensions met by civil servants in realising demand-side interventions across 10 cities•It reveals three tensions across the tools, materialities and identity-related dynamics that affect civil servants’ work.•Amplifying local climate action will require the navigation of these three tensions in the work of civil servants•Ongoing demand reduction will require a widening out in terms of reflexivity, collaboration and political feasibility.