transforming melbourne
DESCRIPTION
Opening speech at the launch of www.buildingmelbourne.com, an initiative to accelerate the transition of Melbourne into the most liveable and sustainable city.TRANSCRIPT
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