Governance for Urban Sustainability Transitions Bringing the Ecosystem Services’ Framework

to urban planning practice

Dr. Niki Frantzeskaki Associate Professor on Sustainability Transitions’ Governance

DRIFT - Dutch Research Institute For Transitions, Faculty of Social Sciences Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands

frantzeskaki@drift.eur.nl

Presentation at URBES Final Conference “Urban Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services”

Brussels, 14 January 2015

Urban Governance

2. ES as diagnostic lens for urban governance & dynamics

1. ES as supporting & add-on tool for urban planning

3. ES as a ‘meta-translation’ tool of citizens’ perceptions

• ES shows where co-benefits in policy programs can be searched

• ES to diagnose disintegration and policy blind-spots • Knowledge co-production to elucidate governance dynamics

• ES as a supporting concept for plan and policy making explaining the importance of ecosystem protection

• ES as an ‘structuring’ strategic tool to supplement existing planning frameworks

• ES to guide work on translating perceptions to profiles • Nature perception profiles to complement criteria for

maintaining and planning of urban green spaces in cities

Ecosystem Services Framework

ES as supporting tool for urban planning

ES fitness with existing planning

paradigm?

Frame for advocacy purposes (boundary integration)

How to mainstream ES in urban planning? - Frame for advocacy purposes:

importance of biodiversity conservation - Add-on framework: complement rather

than replace current planning tools

2. ES as diagnostic lens for urban governance & dynamics • ES shows where co-benefits in policy programs can be searched

• ES to diagnose disintegration and policy blind-spots • Knowledge co-production to elucidate governance dynamics

• current strategy of densification (may) limit opportunities for greening in the

inner city; space for experimenting may be freed up in the periphery of the city • need for planning guidelines about designation areas for greening • need for new ways to engage with citizens and ensure participation in planning • no strategy on how to scale-up greening pilots in other locations

Greening of the river banks Boompjeskade pilot location

Water retention (water strategy – living with water ) Greenification (urban sustainability agenda goal)

2. ES as diagnostic lens for urban governance & dynamics • ES shows where co-benefits in policy programs can be searched

• ES to diagnose disintegration and policy blind-spots • Knowledge co-production to elucidate governance dynamics

• Increasing demand for housing space and the profit-interest of investors resulting from increasing population numbers

• Financial limitations within public authority

• Need to ensure participation with population groups

‘love of nature’ ‘recreation & connection’

‘social setting & relaxation’

Profiles of park users based on their nature-perception, rather than demographic data, visiting frequency, or proximity, can inform urban planning projects on priorities for conservation, restoration & development of urban green areas.

3. ES as a ‘meta-translation’ tool of citizens’ perceptions

Urban Governance

2. ES as diagnostic lens for urban governance & dynamics

1. ES as supporting & add-on tool for urban planning

3. ES as a ‘meta-translation’ tool of citizens’ perceptions

• ES shows where co-benefits in policy programs can be searched

• ES to diagnose disintegration and policy blind-spots • Knowledge co-production to elucidate governance dynamics

• ES as a supporting concept for plan and policy making explaining the importance of ecosystem protection

• ES as an ‘structuring’ strategic tool to supplement existing planning frameworks

• ES to guide work on translating perceptions to profiles • Nature perception profiles to complement criteria for

maintaining and planning of urban green spaces in cities

Ecosystem Services Framework

Policy-science: elucidates complexity and new meanings of tensions Policy-science-community: motives, urgency for action and blind-spots of policy

Why to co-produce knowledge? policy adaptive cycles have their own dynamics & windows for change not always in tune with science and community dynamics

New ways to co-produce knowledge --- videos – policy-science briefs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYypZq1rW9A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq1QtmmZTbs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10RB-m4y58Y

Thank you! @NFrantzeskaki

Interested in finding out more? • Buchel, S., and Frantzeskaki, N., (2015), Citizens’ voice, ecosystem’s choice?,

Ecosystem Services, Article in Press. • Frantzeskaki, N., and Tilie, N., (2014), The dynamics of urban ecosystem governance in

Rotterdam, The Nehterlands, AMBIO, 43:542–555 (DOI 10.1007/s13280-014-0512-0) • Frantzeskaki, N., Wittmayer, J., and Loorbach, D., (2014), The role of partnerships in

'realizing' urban sustainability in Rotterdam's City Ports Area, the Netherlands, Journal of Cleaner Production, 65, 406-417. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.09.023)

• Nevens, F., Frantzeskaki, N., Loorbach, D., Gorissen, L., (2013), Urban Transition Labs: co-creating transformative action for sustainable cities, Journal of Cleaner Production, 50, 111-122.

• Haase, D., McPhearson, T., Frantzeskaki, N., and Kaczowroska, A., (2014), Ecosystem Services in Urban Landscapes: Practical Applications and Governance Implications – the URBES approach, UGEC Viewpoint, No.10, March 2014, www.ugec.org

Lets keep transitioning! Contact me for questions, feedback and for collaborating for urban sustainability transitions: frantzeskaki@drift.eur.nl

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Interested in transition initiatives in cities? Check our research project:

www.acceleratingtransitions.eu

Interested in greening initiatives in cities and what they mean for urban environmental governance:

theurbesproject.org

Our OPEN ACCESS special issue in AMBIO: http://link.springer.com/journal/13280/43/4?wt_mc=alerts.TO

Cjournals

Interested in transition management? Check out our MUSIC project and the transition

mangement manual: http://www.drift.eur.nl/?p=2796

Rotterdam:Policy-Science Knowledge Co-Production In-person Interviews (2011-2012) (n=37), Transition Arenas (2013) (n=4)(p=20),

Focus Groups (2013-2014) (n=3) (p=15), Validation interviews (2014) (n=5)

Sustainability officers

Urban Planning officers

Ecology officers

Urban Agriculture Initiatives

Urban innovation

NGOs

Architecture consultants

Planning researchers

Environmental science and

policy researchers

Planners (implementation) Policy advisors Policy makers

People who make green infrastructure in the city (do-ers)

Ideas’ pollinators Science-policy brokers

37/15

5 5 / 10