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

Socio-technical systemfor transportation

Culture and symbolic

meaning (e.g.

Freedom, individuality)

Regulations and policies

(e.g. traffic rules,parking fees,

emission standards, car tax)

Road infrastructure

and traffic system

(e.g. lights, signs)

Vehicle (artefact)

Markets and user practices

(mobility patterns, driver

preferences)

Industry structure

(e.g. car manufacturers,

suppliers)

Maintenance and

distribution network

(e.g. repair shops, dealers)

Fuel infrastructure

(oil companies,

petrol stations)

The socio-technical system

• Broader than industry or sector or technology • Techno-economic + social, political, cultural

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

Small networks of actors support innovation on the basis of

expectations and visions. Learning and experiments take place

Regime

Markets and

consumer

preferences

Science Industry

Culture

Policy

Technology

New configuration breaks through, taking

advantage of ‘windows of opportunity’.

Adjustments occur in regime

The regime is

dynamically stable

Landscape developments put pressure on existing regime

Landscape

Source: Geels Time

Niches

• 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