Sustainable Urban Transformation Learning from the future? Thriving Neighbourhoods Conference Melbourne, Australia November 2012 Kes McCormick Assistant Professor

Urban experience

Urban region Copenhagen, Malmo, Lund, Helsingborg Diversity of urban centres Regional powerhouse in sustainability, innovation and research

Sustainable Urban Transformation Structural transformation processes – multi-dimensional and radical change – that can effectively direct urban development towards ambitious sustainability goals. –Viewing cities as a source of possibilities for sustainability –Promoting active collaboration across diverse stakeholders –Integrating different perspectives and bodies of knowledge and expertise –Stimulating experimentation with different solutions and approaches Learning from future? Visionary plans Front runners

Targets and Actions Europe by 2020 –A reduction in GHG emissions of at least 20% below 1990 levels –20% of energy consumption to come from renewable resources –20% reduction in primary energy use compared with projected levels, through energy efficiency. –Covenant of Mayors (4400 signatures, 170 million inhabitants) Sweden by 2020 –40% reduction in GHG emissions compared to 1990 –At least 50% share of renewable energy in the energy mix –At least 10% share of renewable energy in the transport sector –20% more efficient use of energy compared to 2008 –Climate Communities and Fossil Fuel Free Communities Direction & Momentum

Observations AUSTRALIA, SWEDEN AND EUROPE Buildings and precincts Multi-level governance Burden or business/resilience Community or jungle Urban living labs

Buildings and precincts

Multi-level Governance Bottom up? Top down? Policy ≠ Governance Creating technically sustainable urban areas → Thriving neighbourhoods

Burden or business/resilience Different contexts! Energy security and climate change! New technologies, new industries, new opportunities, new jobs → export markets Climate mitigation and adaptation and resilience (local and global change)

Jungle or community A sense of community... Life is a jungle. Society is valuable. Trust in governance?

Urban living labs An approach to integrate research and innovation processes within a public-private-people partnership in urban contexts. –Experiments in real time, real context (research constantly feeds into policy and action) –Users deeply and actively involved from the early stages of projects –Research is open for surprises and learning from users Funding!

Lund: Collaborative Actions Lund University Urban Arena –Interaction and collaboration across departments/faculties on research, education and action on sustainable urban transformation Lund Climate Collaboration –University and city, sustainability and climate Urban Transition Oresund –Municipalites and universities (and businesses) –Planning processes, financing and construction

Lund: Special Volume Guest editors from Lund University (3 centres) 20 articles on sustainable urban transformation Experiences and insights from 40 cases and over 130 survey examples

Key themes... Governance and planning PROCESSES Collaboration and learning Infrastructure and resilience STRUCTURES Buildings and precincts

Final thoughts... Conventional policy approaches inadequate, testing and developing urban governance innovations (urban living labs) Learning from (local and global) experimentation with different solutions and approaches Universities working in local contexts with municipalities (disseminate and shape research, different perspectives)

Urban Transition Oresund Lund University Urban Arena Special Volume on Sustainable Urban Transformation European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL)