Greening the city - A critical discourse analysis of the urban development project Brunnshög

Abstract: In recent years there has been a rising trend to develop urban areas to become more sustainable, as an answer to the ongoing climate crisis. However, studies show that labelling the city as sustainable and green may cause equity issues and may lead to what is called green gentrification. This thesis explores the power that actors involved in the process of planning the sustainable city hold. Specifically, it aims to identify and examine the prominent discourses of sustainability surrounding the planning of urban development projects. This is explored through a case study of the ongoing development project Brunnshög, an urban area located in the northeast part of Lund, Sweden. With a critical discourse analysis of official planning documents and press releases, the study analyses how the Lund Municipality facilitate the discourses to provide their vision of the sustainable city. The study identifies three prominent discourses connected to sustainability: The smart city, the attractive city and the livable city. The findings suggest that there are elements in the discourses and how they are constructed that may attract middle and high-income, knowledge-intense residents while excluding others which may cause equity issues in the future area of Brunnshög – similar as to what has been seen in other areas undergoing green gentrification.