This project explores the adoption of green budgeting practices across the European Union (EU), focusing on late beginner countries—Spain, Portugal, and Italy—and their comparison to Sweden as an early adopter. Green budgeting, the integration of environmental considerations into fiscal policies, is a critical innovation for addressing climate change and achieving sustainable development. This research takes a novel interdisciplinary approach, bridging public finance, governance, and sustainability studies to explore how political, economic, and institutional contexts influence green budgeting adoption.

Building on the Independent Social Research Foundation's emphasis on independent-minded research, this project adopts a critical lens to assess systemic challenges, suggest alternative frameworks for implementation, and provide actionable solutions for fostering green budgeting in underperforming contexts. The study addresses a pressing global issue—climate action through sustainable public administration—that aligns with contemporary societal priorities yet remains underfunded in academic and policy spheres. The research findings aim to propose a path forward for more equitable and effective green budgeting in the EU.