Transforming urban sociotechnical systems

Fred StewardPolicy Studies Institute, University of Westminster;

Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London

Action-oriented transition

international cooperation for stronger and more ambitious climate action

stakeholders who are not national governments

cities and other sub-national authorities, private sector, financial institutions, civil society

A global Climate Action platform

Transition policy principles Solution oriented not problem focused

Practice-led rather than theory-driven

Actions other than government policy or individual behaviour

Polycentric governance – cumulative, co-operative and consensual routes from local to global

Transformative innovation – challenge led, system transformation

Coproduction between actor and analyst – a relational view of agency

Transnational networks - International Council for Local Environment Initiatives (ICLEI), Covenant of Mayors, C40 Climate leadership group,

a platform of city actions on climate

a focus on systemic changecity wide sociotechnical systems offer the greatest opportunities cities innovate faster...in clean energy and low carbon infrastructurecities promote systems and actions

linking climate goals to wider societal co-benefitscities also stand to reap great rewards through lower energy costs and improved mobility and quality of life

a multiactor approachlocal, regional and state governmentscity networks are critical partnersvoluntary actions and investors

Transforming city systems Cities should be at the

heart of the sustainable energy transition

Currently account for 70% of global carbon emissions

Transformative innovation in urban energy use can contribute 70% of carbon reductions needed by 2050 for a 2⁰ pathway

Three critical systems of urban sustainability

3 critical urban systems for transition Buildings

Low emission buildingsDensityDemand management

TransportLow emission vehiclesMobility as a serviceIntegrated mobility systems

Heat & power networksCogenerationWaste into energyLocal renewables

These are where the global city actions are

IPCC, CDP data

Transition Cities

Climate KIC Transition Cities actions 2012-16

Actions need transition policy transformative innovation is systemic, but urban

climate actions usually treated separately from each other in a stand alone project management fashion

portfolio of actions needs strategic guidance in a more effective way to promote sustainable transitions in city-wide sociotechnical systems

clustering can enable a wide range of stakeholders to create systemic transition through replicating, broadening and scaling up proven niche innovative solutions to the climate change challenge

11

Frankfurt urban energy network

Transition to shared mobility OECD study

Lisbon

Suggests carbon emissions to be reduced by 53% in city centre and 62% for conurbatioin

Policies & practices Policy mixes and alignment

greater alignment among national, regional and local policies (vertical integration)

greater collaboration and co-operation between local agencies (horizontal integration),

actions are particularly important for small and medium cities, where local capacities are limited

International Energy Agency 2015

Transition competences

governance practices which facilitate transition

visioning experimenting Networking navigating

European Environment Agency 2017