Zwischen Gesetz und Gewissen – eine empirische Untersuchung zur politischen Arbeitsteiligkeit im Zuge einer Intrinsifizierung nachhaltigen Verhaltens

Abstract

The transformation towards sustainable economies and lifestyles requires that extrinsically motivated behavioral changes evolve into intrinsically motivated practices. Drawing on self-determination theory and subsidiarity, this article develops a multi-level governance model integrating top-down regulation and bottom-up measures. Semi-structured expert interviews at federal, state, municipal, and advisory levels inform the study. Content analysis identifies four key dimensions: (1) extrinsic drivers through financial, regulatory, and communicative measures; (2) municipal capacities and networks; (3) intergovernmental coordination; and (4) structural barriers. Findings suggest sustainability transitions succeed when central impulses align with local contexts, municipal capacities are strengthened, and institutionalized feedback mechanisms ensure coherence.