GREEN CITIES – AN INTERSECTION BETWEEN MUNICIPAL STRATEGIES AND SUSTAINABLE HOUSEHOLD BEHAVIOR

In recent years, climate change focuses the attention of people, businesses and researchers on the concrete benefits of following the concept of Sustainable Development. In this sense, efforts to transform cities into green ones can be perceived as a topical issue for both municipalities and the households that live in them. The third largest city in Bulgaria - Varna, has the profile of a tourist summer destination. The transformation of Varna into a green city can be perceived as a common goal for both the municipality and the households. In this regard, the main task of this paper is to compare the strategic documents of the local administration for development in the period 2021 - 2027 and the goals set in them and the results of a study of the sustainable behaviour of Varna households. The main research question is whether and to what extent a match can be found between local government priorities and actual household actions to achieve sustainability goals. Based on desk research, secondary data from strategic documents of the municipality is collected and analyzed. Turning the city into a green city is established as the main priority. As part of an empirical study, data is collected from 719 Varna households about their sustainable behaviour in five main areas – resources management (water and electricity), transport, food, disposal of products. The results show that for some areas, there is a certain degree of coincidence between the activities of the municipality and the sustainable actions of households covered in the survey. The results of the study can be used in defining and adapting goals related to Sustainability and aligning them with the real needs and habits of households, as well as in designing communication campaigns aimed at stimulating the participation of households in these processes.