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 The socio-technical system • Broader than industry or sector or technology • Techno-economic + social, political, cultural
Regulations and policies Maintenance and (e.g. traffic rules,parking fees, distribution network emission standards, car tax) (e.g. repair shops, dealers) Industry structure (e.g. car manufacturers, suppliers) Road infrastructure and traffic system Socio-technical system for transportation (e.g. lights, signs) Markets and user practices (mobility patterns, driver preferences) Culture and symbolic meaning (e.g. Freedom, individuality) Fuel infrastructure Vehicle (artefact) (oil companies, petrol stations) 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
Landscape
Landscape developments put pressure on existing regime Markets and consumer preferences Science Industry
Regime Culture Policy Technology The regime is dynamically stable New configuration breaks through, taking advantage of ‘windows of opportunity’. Adjustments occur in regime
Niches Small networks of actors support innovation on the basis of expectations and visions. Learning and experiments take place Time Source: Geels • 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