This book advances thinking on how to understand the emergence of a green state in the context of climate and sustainability transitions. The book theorizes the green state from political theory, feminist theory, post-structuralism, governance and institutional theory. It empirically examines the performance of states and institutional responses to the sustainable and climate transitions in the European and Nordic context in particular. It critically explores different principles guiding the emergence of the green state and for example its linkages to the welfare state.

1. Introduction Part 1: Theorizing the Green State 2. Lost in Transition? The Green State in Governance for Sustainable Development 3. Governing Beyond or With the State? Conceptions in Studies of Non-State Climate Action 4. The Green State and the Prospects of Greening Sovereignty Part 2: Performance of the Green State in a Comparative Perspective 5. Green States in Europe: A Comparative View 6. The "Green" Potential of Small Island States: A Comparative Study 7. Greening the State, American Style Part 3: Transforming the State toward Climate Objectives: Nordic experiences 8. Blue and Yellow Makes Green? Ecological Modernisation in Swedish Climate Policy 9. Towards a Decarbonised Green State? The Politics of Low-Carbon Governance in Sweden 10. Negotiating Green Growth as a Pathway towards Sustainable Transitions in Finland Part 4: Transforming the Polity toward Climate and Sustainability Objectives 11. Greening the State of California: Governmentality and the Subjectification of the Polity through Climate Governance 12. The Green State and the Design of Self-Binding: Lessons from Monetary Policy 13. The Green State and Empathic Rationality 14. Conclusion

Karin Bäckstrand is Professor in Environmental Social Science in the Department of Political Science at Stockholm University, Sweden.

Annica Kronsell is Professor in the Department of Political Science at Lund University, Sweden.