cohesion policy & sustainabilitycohesion policy & sustainability transitions transforming...
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Cohesion policy &
sustainability
transitions Transforming regional & urban sociotechnical
systems
Fred Steward
Policy Studies Institute, University of
Westminster;
Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College
London
Transformation &
transition new policy agendas of
sustainability & cohesion
transformation and
transition
Intersection of policy
domains with innovation
European Environment Agency SOER 2015: Europe needs fundamental transitions
SOER 2015 concluded that the outlook for
Europe’s environment in coming decades is
worrying.
Achieving the EU’s 2050 vision of “living well
within environmental limits”, will require
“fundamental transitions, in key systems of
production and consumption, most notably, food,
energy, mobility and housing as well as fiscal and
finance systems that drive them.”
Cohesion &
regional
policy Transformation of regions
Industrial and technological transition
Broader innovation ecosytems
Transition thinking
new conceptualisation of
innovation as
sociotechnical system
reconfiguration has
fundamental policy
implications
Sustainability transitions and new knowledge needs
Global environmental problems
Climate change
Biodiversity
Resource problems (water,
forests, fish, rare metals)
Incremental change and BAU not enough
Need for transitions and system change
Transitions to new
systems (in energy,
transport, agro-food,
housing)
Socio-economic ‘grand challenges’
Economic growth and EU competitiveness
Health, aging, obesity
Urban revival
Critical infrastructure concerns
Business concerns about resources and
inefficiencies
Increasing policy interest in systemic
approaches Framework policies
Green growth (UNEP, OECD)
Sustainable Development Goals (UN)
Circular economy (EU)
Low-carbon economy (EU)
Biodiversity strategy (EU)
Europe’s transition to
a low-carbon economy
Socio-technical systemfor transportation
Culture and symbolic
meaning (e.g.
Freedom, individuality)
Regulations and policies
(e.g. traffic rules,parking fees,
emission standards, car tax)
Road infrastructure
and traffic system
(e.g. lights, signs)
Vehicle (artefact)
Markets and user practices
(mobility patterns, driver
preferences)
Industry structure
(e.g. car manufacturers,
suppliers)
Maintenance and
distribution network
(e.g. repair shops, dealers)
Fuel infrastructure
(oil companies,
petrol stations)
The socio-technical system
• Broader than industry or sector or technology • Techno-economic + social, political, cultural
Transition challenge: lock-in of existing system
Economic Scale advantages, low cost
Sunk investments (competence, infrastructure)
Social/organisational Incumbent firms have vested interests, core capabilities
Alignment between social groups (‘social capital’)
User practices, values, lifestyles
Politics and power Uneven playing field
Opposition to policy change from vested interests
The multi-level perspective on transitions
Small networks of actors support innovation on the basis of
expectations and visions. Learning and experiments take place
Regime
Markets and
consumer
preferences
Science Industry
Culture
Policy
Technology
New configuration breaks through, taking
advantage of ‘windows of opportunity’.
Adjustments occur in regime
The regime is
dynamically stable
Landscape developments put pressure on existing regime
Landscape
Source: Geels Time
Niches
• No single cause, but alignments between multiple processes
• Transitions start small, but gradually gain momentum
Sustainability
transitions Sociotechnical systems are complex
hybrid networks of people, organisations, technologies
Defined by their end use role in society – mobility, shelter, comfort, hygiene, communication
Reconfiguration involves multiple actors, phases and levels
Transformative
innovation policy a new policy paradigm which
is distinct from the earlier paradigms of 'science & technology push' (1950s -) and 'innovation systems' (1980s -)
introduces directionality, societal challenge, systemic change (role of SDGs)
SDGs - systems and transitions
New broad,
demand led model
of innovation
diversity of types of
innovation
variety of innovation actors
role of users and demand
Place based approach
resonates with new
model of innovation
recognises local diversity in terms of knowledge and challenges, eg smart specialisation;
also reveals some important commonalities - innovation in infrastructures and lifestyles
Climate transition needs
place based, broad,
demand led innovation urban energy systems (transport,
housing, heat/power networks)
(International Energy Agency)
regional agri-food and land use
systems (IPCC 1.5 report)
3 key urban systems – ‘levers of
sustainability’ Buildings
Low emission buildings
Density
Demand management
Transport
Low emission vehicles
Mobility as a service
Integrated mobility systems
Heat & power networks
Cogeneration
Waste into energy
Local renewables
Transition in these 3 systems
can contribute 70% of carbon
reductions needed by 2050 for a
2⁰ pathway
Global city climate actions
(IPCC, CDP)
Land use and food systems
Pathways …require rapid and far-reaching… systems transitions… unprecedented in terms of scale, but not necessarily in terms of speed,
Transitions in land use in all pathways
sustainable f land use practices, ecosystem restoration and changes towards less resource-intensive diets
New growth models at
regional level situating system innovation
opportunities at local level
Sociotechnical –urban systems
Socioecological – land use
promoting infrastructure & lifestyle innovation
All regions to be engaged
Policy mix & alignment
infrastructure/lifestyle innovation key to less developed & industrial transition regions
innovation support needs to become an integral part of infrastructural investment
stakeholder networks need to involve demand side public and societal users, customers, funders
Experimentation needs to embrace lifestyle /consumption as well as science/production
Experimentation for transition
Future is uncertain and deserves open ended experimentation
Experimentation needs link to urban/regional transition perspective
transformative innovation is systemic, not project or product
portfolio of actions to create systemic transition through replicating, broadening and scaling up
Transition competences and
capability
New competences
visioning
experimenting
networking
navigating
Interregional learning
People and organisations
Communities of practice