This paper brings the local level of ESD-transfer into focus. It will examine the patterns evolving through and affecting the ,forced‘ coordination of actors from different societal sectors involved in the promotion and implementation of ESD in local contexts of officially awarded „Cities and Local Authorities of the UN Decade“. This paper combines empirical findings from two partial projects. These are based on a Sociology of Knowledge Approach to Discourse (Keller 2011) and Objective Hermeneutics (Oevermann 2000). We seek to answer two main questions: First, in what way affect and prescribe the nationwide effective criteria for the application as a “municipality of the UN Decade” the respective local activities? Second, we seek for patterns of local constellations of actors dealing with the conflicting logics of hierarchical and bureaucratic implementation strategies against the claim of increased network-oriented and cooperative modes of regulation. While focusing on ‘knowledge flows’ as well as on latent structures of meaning this paper aims to contribute to a descriptive-analytical perspective on ESD-transfer instead of fostering a prescriptive and normative way of ESD-transfer. Hence, the paper seeks to address an internationally relevant piece of research in so far the sustainability of the implementation of ESD is considered.