Urban Transitions towards Sustainability

Derk LoorbachTransforming Melbourne, 9-6-

2010

Derk LoorbachTransforming Melbourne, 9-6-

2010

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Sustainability as persistent problem

• multiple actors, levels and dimensions: no easy or multiple actors, levels and dimensions: no easy or straightforward solutionsstraightforward solutions

• many examples: housing stock, climate change, many examples: housing stock, climate change, energy supply, water, mobility, agriculture, health energy supply, water, mobility, agriculture, health carecare

• persistence is due to system failures that are deeply persistence is due to system failures that are deeply rooted in our societal structuresrooted in our societal structures

• regular policy aimed at incremental improvement is regular policy aimed at incremental improvement is not enough to resolve persistent problemsnot enough to resolve persistent problems

transitions are needed and inevitabletransitions are needed and inevitable

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Transitions

fundamental change of structure, culture and fundamental change of structure, culture and practices in a societal (sub)systempractices in a societal (sub)system

– culture:culture: collective set of values, norms, collective set of values, norms, perspectives (shared perspectives (shared orientation), paradigms orientation), paradigms

– structure:structure: physical infrastructure, economic physical infrastructure, economic infrastructure, infrastructure, institutions, rules, regulations, collective institutions, rules, regulations, collective routinesroutines

– practices:practices: behaviour, operation, implementationbehaviour, operation, implementation

Shared discourse and language for multi-actor Shared discourse and language for multi-actor learning and innovation processeslearning and innovation processes

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Understanding transitions

Predevelopment

Stabilization

time

Societal development

Acceleration

Take-off

Macro-level

(landscape, trends)

Meso-level (regimes, institutions)

Micro-level (Niches,

individuals)

From: Rotmans et al, 2000 From: Geels and Kemp, 2001

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Why do transitions fail?

• Institutional fragmentation and vested interests

• Technological and social lock-in and path dependencies

• Lack of coherence in thought and strategy of sustainability initiatives

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Cities as social systems

City of Melbourne

Societal landscape

City subsystems (regimes)

Civil society

and citizens

Mobility subsystem

Policy substem

Energy subsystem

Industrial subsystem

Innovations and niches

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Sustainability as guiding orientation

• Inherently ambiguous, contested and uncertain

• Basis for dialogue, competition and innovation

• It is about the process of sustainable development rather than the end goal

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Transition governance• long-term long-term thinking as the basis for short term policythinking as the basis for short term policy

• thinking in terms of multiple domains (multi-domain), thinking in terms of multiple domains (multi-domain), different actors (multi-actor), different actors (multi-actor), different levels (multi-different levels (multi-level)level)

• learning as an important aim for policy (‘learning-by-learning as an important aim for policy (‘learning-by-doing’ and ‘doing-by-learning’)doing’ and ‘doing-by-learning’)

• orient governance towards system innovation orient governance towards system innovation besides system improvementbesides system improvement

• keeping options open, exploring multiple pathwayskeeping options open, exploring multiple pathways

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Transition approach

• acknowledge that there is a persistent problemacknowledge that there is a persistent problemshared problem perceptionshared problem perception

• thethe solution does not exist solution does not exist transform problem into visionary challengetransform problem into visionary challenge

• define guiding principles and evolving transition define guiding principles and evolving transition agendaagendamultiple futures with multiple pathways and optionsmultiple futures with multiple pathways and options

• start portfolio of experiments into the same directionstart portfolio of experiments into the same directionpostpone choices till enough has been learnedpostpone choices till enough has been learned

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

society

Transition arenasRegular policy arenas

- Short term- Peloton - Incremental change- Problem- and goal oriented

- Long term- Innovators - System-innovation- Problem- and goal searching

Transition arenas spaces for experimenting and envisioning

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

5 strategies1. Re-inventing delta technology

2. Volume & Value

3. Crossing borders

4. Floating gentrification

5. Sustainable mobility

Long term: perspective 2040

Mid term: course 2025

Short term: action 2015

City harbours

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Transition governance structure

Melbourne Transition arena

Thematic transition arenasMunicipal transition arenas

Evolving agenda and pathways

local experiments transition icons

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Key message• managing systemic change is about managing systemic change is about

coordination, guidance, innovation and coordination, guidance, innovation and learninglearning

• systemic change starts with creating systemic change starts with creating [financial, organizational, juridical, mental] [financial, organizational, juridical, mental] space for frontrunnersspace for frontrunners

• envisioning is more important than the visionenvisioning is more important than the vision

• intermediary organizations are crucial to intermediary organizations are crucial to facilitate transition governancefacilitate transition governance

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Thank you for your attention

For more information and publications:loorbach@fsw.eur.nlwww.drift.eur.nlwww.ksinetwork.orgwww.sustainabilitytransitions.com