Sustainability of land-use: competing interests and power dynamics A case-study of the Lutkemeerpolder in Amsterdam A MSc thesis presented for the degree of Sustainable Development (GEO-2321 - 30 ECTS) Isabella de Judicibus 5991390
[email protected] Supervisor: Dr Murtah Shannon -
[email protected] Second Reader: Dr Alberto Alonso Fradejas -
[email protected] Internship Organization: ASEED Europe Internship Supervisor: Eduard Hernandez Nualart -
[email protected] Faculty of Geosciences Utrecht University Vening Meinesz building A, Princetonlaan 8a, 3584 CB Utrecht 11th August, 2020 Word count: 26288 Abstract Sustainability transition studies mostly deal with normative views of "sustainable development", only marginally referring to the fact that citizens, governments, companies and other stakeholders have not only different interests, but also diverg- ing ideas of "what ought to be transformed" in society. By doing so, the literature often fails to picture those cases where bottom-up actors attempt to push for more radical transformations, by engaging in politically-charged conflicts with other stakeholders. These conflicts can take place in many different ways, but they are especially relevant for sustainability sciences when what is at stake is the use of natural resources. Acknowledging that land is one of the most basic and fundamental resources for human activities and considering how the fast-growing rate of urbanization in the Netherlands has potential negative implications for ecosystems and climate regulation, this research analyzes how a transition can unfold on a land region located in the outskirts of Amsterdam. The approach uses a case-study to unravel how power dynamics shaped an ongoing struggle over land-use of two different coalitions of actors, which hold different interests and views of "how the land should be transformed".