Strategies for Place and Community Based Economies
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Bridges to local economies Strategies for place and community based economies Coordinated by: Patrick Van den Abeele Bruxelles Environnement / Leefmileu Brussel With BIC Lazio, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, University of East London Prepared by Stephan Kampelmann (Université libre de Bruxelles / OSMOS) and Adrian Vickery Hill (OSMOS) Transversal Planning Document Properties Project Acronym TURAS Grant Agreement No 282834 Nature of Document Adapted deliverable Related Work package WP6 Task Leader Brussels Environment Authors This report was prepared by Stephan Kampelmann (Université libre de Bruxelles / OSMOS) and Adrian Vickery Hill (OSMOS) on behalf of and with contributions from the WP6 TURAS partners: Bruxelles Environnement / Leefmileu Brussel - Patrick Van Den Abeele (Workpackage coordinator). BIC Lazio - Raffaella Labruna, Luca Polizzano, Mariella Iunnissi, Ilaria Corsi, Massimo Felicetti. London Borough of Barking and Dagenham - Jo Sinclair. University of East London - Paula Vandergert. Dissemination level Public report Version 30/05/17 Status of Document Final Read more www.turas-cities.org/results Disclaimer The research presented in this report is a result of the Transitioning Towards Urban Resilience and Sustainability (TURAS) project and has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement No 282834. Graphics credits Efforts have been made to identify original photographers and contact for usage rights. We apologise if photos have not been properly attributed, however please contact us to make corrections. Document layout and illustrations by Adrian Vickery Hill ([email protected]). Transversal Planning WP 6 partners Supported by 2 THE BRIDGE BUILDER An old man going a lone highway, Came, at the evening cold and gray, To a chasm vast and deep and wide. Through which was flowing a sullen tide The old man crossed in the twilight dim, The sullen stream had no fear for him; But he turned when safe on the other side And built a bridge to span the tide. “Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near, “You are wasting your strength with building here; Your journey will end with the ending day, You never again will pass this way; You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide, Why build this bridge at evening tide?” The builder lifted his old gray head; “Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said, “There followed after me to-day A youth whose feet must pass this way. This chasm that has been as naught to me To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be; He, too, must cross in the twilight dim; Good friend, I am building this bridge for him!” - Will Allen Dromgoole 3 CONTENTS Preface 8 Foreword 10 INTRODUCTION 13 PART 1: TAKE ME TO THE BRIDGE 17 1.1 The case for place-based economic sustainability 17 1.2 The role of the public actor 22 1.3 The strategies in a nutshell 25 PART 2: BRIDGING STRATEGIES 31 2.1 Connecting the elements of a social-ecological system 32 2.2 Cooperation between pioneers and the establishment 48 2.3 Alignment of particular and common interests 60 2.4 Collaboration between communities and entrepreneurs 70 PART 3: BRIDGE BUILDING IN PRACTICE 89 3.1 Introducing Transversal Planning 90 3.2 Tools for bridging 107 3.3 Competencies for bridging 116 PROJECT TEAM 127 Systems workshop at the Parco Agricolo in Rome. Photo S. Kampelmann 4 Preface 8 Foreword 10 INTRODUCTION 13 PART 1: TAKE ME TO THE BRIDGE 17 1.1 The case for place-based economic sustainability 17 1.2 The role of the public actor 22 1.3 The strategies in a nutshell 25 PART 2: BRIDGING STRATEGIES 31 2.1 Connecting the elements of a social-ecological system 32 2.2 Cooperation between pioneers and the establishment 48 2.3 Alignment of particular and common interests 60 2.4 Collaboration between communities and entrepreneurs 70 PART 3: BRIDGE BUILDING IN PRACTICE 89 3.1 Introducing Transversal Planning 90 3.2 Tools for bridging 107 3.3 Competencies for bridging 116 PROJECT TEAM 127 5 CASE STUDIES Connecting: Parco Agricolo di Casal del Marmo (40) Brussels Crown Barracks (98) Solfatara di Manziana (94) Aligning: Environmental Employment Alliance (52) Operation Phosphore (56) Cooperating: Barking Riverside Community Interest Company (64) Studio C (102) Collaborating: PSS Toolkit (78) PSS Neighbourhood (84) 6 Barking Riverside Brussels Manziana Rome Malaga 7 Preface Rob Hopkins Something remarkable is happening around the world. I know that it’s happening, because I am fortunate enough to go and see it in lots of different places. I see it in the city of Exeter, whose local currency the Exeter Pound, accepted by hundreds of local businesses, just launched a £4.50 note to celebrate the 450th anniversary of their local canal. Or in Brussels, where the Employment Environment Alliance co-created with the local business community and local authorities a plan of 200 actions for the transition of key local employment sectors towards a more sustainable and place-based economy. Or in Ungersheim in France, where their remarkable Mayor Jean- Claude Mensch is transforming the place through 21 projects that are, for example, bringing in 100%, largely local food in local schools, creating co- housing and installing huge amounts of solar energy. It’s remarkable because it adds two key elements to drives towards sustainability that we have seen in the past. Firstly it recognizes that the changes we need to see are a marathon, not a sprint, and we need to pay attention to our own personal resilience and the risks of burnout. This argument, that how we do things matters as much as what we do, is central to the Transition movement, and to the collection of tools and approaches focused on creating a healthy group culture that has come to be known as ‘Inner Transition’. Secondly, it recognizes that we need to be creating new, place-based economies and livelihoods, and that in order to do so, we need to think like entrepreneurs. Expecting change on the scale required to arise purely through volunteers giving what time they have is not enough. We end up with a ‘tyranny of volunteerism’, where our groups reflect the demographic of those who can afford to volunteer, rather than the community as a whole. Creating new enterprises which enable the shift to more local, resilient economies is essential, and is already happening in a great diversity of ways. This shift is changing the way people shop, invest, campaign, engage with their local government, imagine their futures. But as remarkable as it is, it isn’t winning. People are giving their all, and, as this report shows, achieving amazing things. But it’s a shift, a renaissance, that needs help and support, and the great thing is that the invitation it extends offers huge opportunity and possibility. 8 It offers the possibility for businesses based in a particular place to reconnect, to come home to that place and to support the new economy emerging there. To play its part in a historic shift. To local government it offers the opportunity to pioneer deep democracy, to fulfil its duty of meeting its community’s needs in a very different way. They also have a key role to play in acting as a ‘bridge’, enabling communities to have the support they need, and enabling their work. To public bodies it offers the opportunity to reimagine their relationship to place, to rethink how it sources food and energy, how it engages and supports local entrepreneurs. This wonderful publication “Bridges to local economies” by the TURAS initiative details how by working together, we could create a historic transformation in our societies. Please take it, run with it, do something extraordinary. ___________ Rob Hopkins Founder of the transition movement Rob is the co-founder of Transition Town Totnes and of the Transition Network. This grew out of many years experience in education, teaching permaculture and natural building, and setting up the first 2 year full-time permaculture course in the world, at Kinsale Further Education College in Ireland, as well as co-ordinating the first eco- village development in Ireland to be granted planning permission. He is author of numerous books on a practical approach to local economy and resilience. Photo: www. transitionnetwork.org 9 Foreword Françoise Bonnet We must transition our production and consumption models to be compatible with earth’s physical limits and public services have an essential role to play in the process, one which goes beyond the traditional tasks entrusted to them. Governments must connect stakeholders whether they be companies, public authorities, scientists, residents or users, by taking on the role of stakeholder facilitator. This role depends on governments supporting a certain level of stability that is a legitimate, neutral and takes on the responsibility of the public interest. We need new tools to deal with these new responsibilities and product- service system, as described in this book, certainly will help in this transition. Transitions to a product-service system approach will depend on a number of factors such as easing into new private financing conditions, stimulating public procurement as a lever to boost demand, raising consumers’ awareness to change their attitude towards objects and services, as well as monitoring and following the phenomenon of the transition. Other important steps to take include supporting enterprises through the transition, structuring research, adapting market instruments, strengthening regulatory instruments and setting up regional coordination for projects. The TURAS project is a concrete example of how the collaboration between all stakeholders can take shape. As an international network of local and regional authorities connecting good practices among Europe, ACR+ warmly welcomes projects like TURAS where multi-stakeholder collaboration is at the core of all activities.