Recently climate change has been the focus of increased attention by scholars in the field of public administration. In this article the practice of implementing particular climate mitigation policies at the local level is highlighted. More specifically, attention is paid to the appliance of renewable and other non conventional energy systems in refurbishment projects in Dutch residential areas. A comparative case study analysis of eleven cases was conducted to answer the question which factors influence the adoption of innovative energy systems. The results show that the use of subsidies and supportive communicative policy instruments are of great importance. Other factors also stimulate adoption: the presence of environmentally motivated advocates in housing associations and in particular network characteristics. Strikingly, climate policy output by local authorities and the presence of urban renewal activities in the project area exercise a negative influence. Because of these insights, the article contributes to the Dutch debate on governance aspects of climate policy issues.

Agricultural production systems may influence each other in a negative way, with conflicts as a consequence. In general, such conflicts are resolved technically in an ad hoc manner, at farm or greenhouse level. There is no structural attention to so-called co-existence problems. This article makes a plea for acknowledging such problems as policy issues and for grouping these together under the label of co-existence conflicts, broadening this phrase beyond its traditional meaning related to conventional, organic and GM crop production. Co-existence conflicts are concrete, local expressions of the tensions between conflicting values incorporated in the current agricultural system. It is argued that because they are manifestations of conflicting value systems, they offer useful stepping-stones to practically organise and channel discussions on sustainable development in agriculture.