@article{vanLeeuwenKern2013,
  author    = {van Leeuwen, Judith and Kern, Kristine},
  title     = {The External Dimension of European Union Marine Governance: Institutional Interplay between the EU and the International Maritime Organization},
  series = {Global environmental politics},
  volume    = {13},
  journal   = {Global environmental politics},
  number    = {1},
  publisher = {MIT Press},
  address   = {Cambridge},
  issn      = {1526-3800},
  doi       = {10.1162/GLEP_a_00154},
  pages     = {69 -- +},
  year      = {2013},
  abstract  = {This article focuses on the emergence of a decentralized institutional complex, interplay management, and the institutional interplay between the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the EU in the issue area of environmental shipping policies. It shows that the synergistic relationship between both institutions has been driven primarily by commitment and compliance mechanisms. By influencing IMO decision-making and improving the implementation and effectiveness of IMO conventions, the EU has become a driving force in international environmental shipping policies, and its new initiatives may even enhance its leadership role within the IMO in the future. Despite the still-existing lack of cognitive leadership by the EU, the synergies between both institutions provide evidence for the EU's leadership capacities in global environmental politics.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{OttoKernHauptetal.2021,
  author    = {Otto, Antje and Kern, Kristine and Haupt, Wolfgang and Eckersley, Peter and Thieken, Annegret},
  title     = {Ranking local climate policy},
  series = {Climatic change : an interdisciplinary, international journal devoted to the description, causes and implications of climatic change},
  volume    = {167},
  journal   = {Climatic change : an interdisciplinary, international journal devoted to the description, causes and implications of climatic change},
  number    = {1-2},
  publisher = {Springer},
  address   = {Dordrecht},
  issn      = {0165-0009},
  doi       = {10.1007/s10584-021-03142-9},
  pages     = {23},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Climate mitigation and climate adaptation are crucial tasks for urban areas and can involve synergies as well as trade-offs. However, few studies have examined how mitigation and adaptation efforts relate to each other in a large number of differently sized cities, and therefore we know little about whether forerunners in mitigation are also leading in adaptation or if cities tend to focus on just one policy field. This article develops an internationally applicable approach to rank cities on climate policy that incorporates multiple indicators related to (1) local commitments on mitigation and adaptation, (2) urban mitigation and adaptation plans and (3) climate adaptation and mitigation ambitions. We apply this method to rank 104 differently sized German cities and identify six clusters: climate policy leaders, climate adaptation leaders, climate mitigation leaders, climate policy followers, climate policy latecomers and climate policy laggards. The article seeks explanations for particular cities' positions and shows that coping with climate change in a balanced way on a high level depends on structural factors, in particular city size, the pathways of local climate policies since the 1990s and funding programmes for both climate mitigation and adaptation.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{MeijeringKernTobi2014,
  author    = {Meijering, Jurian V. and Kern, Kristine and Tobi, Hilde},
  title     = {Identifying the methodological characteristics of European green city rankings},
  series = {Ecological indicators : integrating monitoring, assessment and management},
  volume    = {43},
  journal   = {Ecological indicators : integrating monitoring, assessment and management},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Amsterdam},
  issn      = {1470-160X},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.ecolind.2014.02.026},
  pages     = {132 -- 142},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {City rankings that aim to measure the environmental sustainability of European cities may contribute to the evaluation and development of environmental policy of European cities. The objective of this study is to identify and evaluate the methodological characteristics of these city rankings. First, a methodology was developed to systematically identify methodological characteristics of city rankings within different steps of the ranking development process. Second, six city rankings (European Energy Award, European Green Capital Award, European Green City Index, European Soot-free City Ranking, RES Champions League, Urban Ecosystem Europe) were examined. Official websites and any methodological documents found on those websites were content analyzed using the developed methodology. Interviews with representatives of the city rankings were conducted to acquire any additional information. Results showed that the city rankings varied greatly with respect to their methodological characteristics and that all city rankings had methodological weaknesses. Developers of city rankings are advised to use the methodology developed in this study to find methodological weaknesses and improve their ranking. In addition, developers ought to be more transparent about the methodological characteristics of their city rankings. End-users of city rankings are advised to use the developed methodology to identify and evaluate the methodological characteristics of city rankings before deciding to act on ranking results. (c) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{BansardHickmannKern2019,
  author    = {Bansard, Jennifer S. and Hickmann, Thomas and Kern, Kristine},
  title     = {Pathways to urban sustainability},
  series = {GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society},
  volume    = {28},
  journal   = {GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society},
  number    = {2},
  publisher = {Oekom Verlag},
  address   = {M{\"u}nchen},
  issn      = {0940-5550},
  doi       = {10.14512/gaia.28.2.9},
  pages     = {112 -- 118},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {Recent years have seen a considerable broadening of the ambitions in urban sustainability policy-making. With its Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, the 2030 Agenda stresses the critical role of cities in achieving sustainable development. In the context of SDG17 on partnerships, emphasis is also placed on the role of researchers and other scientific actors as change agents in the sustainability transformation. Against this backdrop, this article sheds light on different pathways through which science can contribute to urban sustainability. In particular, we discern four forms of science-policy-society interactions as key vectors: 1. sharing knowledge and providing scientific input to urban sustainability policy-making; 2. implementing transformative research projects; 3. contributing to local capacity building; and 4. self-governing towards sustainability. The pathways of influence are illustrated with empirical examples, and their interlinkages and limitations are discussed. We contend that there are numerous opportunities for actors from the field of sustainability science to engage with political and societal actors to enhance sustainable development at the local level.},
  language  = {en}
}