URBAN SUSTAINABILITY IN EUROPE Bob Evans Sustainable Cities Research Institute, Northumbria University, UK 2018/9/19 ©Sustainable Cities Research Institute

Some introductory comments on the European policy context Governing, government, and the processes of governing urban sustainability 2018/9/19 ©Sustainable Cities Research Institute

Urban Sustainability in Europe……. The Gothenburg Strategy and 2006 review The 6th Environmental Action Programme The Urban Thematic Strategy + environmental management The Aalborg + 10 Process The European Sustainable Cities and Towns Campaign 2018/9/19 ©Sustainable Cities Research Institute

THE DISCUS PROJECT Developing Institutional and Social Capacities For Urban Sustainability

A major three year research project co-funded by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research Fifth Framework Programme, Key Action ‘City of Tomorrow and Cultural Heritage

ICLEI European Secretariat Focus Lab, Italy Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Portugal Åbo Akademi University, Finland WWF-UK Northumbria University, UK European Sustainable Cities & Towns Campaign, Brussels Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe, Hungary

The starting point for the DISCUS research was the fundamental assumption which is deeply embedded in the ‘new environmental agenda’ which emerged from Rio: Good governance is a necessary precondition for the achievement of sustainable development, particularly at the local level

Project research question: “What are the factors and conditions that permit good governance for sustainable urban development” This lead us to 3 subsidiary questions which determined the research methodology…….

What constitutes ‘success’ in urban sustainable development policy and practice? What are the factors and conditions that permit or obstruct ‘success’ in local sustainable development policy and practice? What constitutes ‘good governance’ for urban sustainable development?

KEY CONCEPTS…… Governance Social Capital Institutional Capital Capacity Building

GOVERNANCE From Government to Governance Participation and Consultation Stakeholders, Interest organisations and Citizens Networks and Partnership

SOCIAL CAPITAL The process of civic engagement Social networks, trust and reciprocity ‘Community’ and common purpose

INSTITUTIONAL CAPITAL Knowledge, Values, Relationships Institutional Learning and Culture Civic Entrepreneurship Leadership and Policy Drivers

DIMENSIONS OF INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY Administrative Capacity Governance Capacity Political Capacity Intellectual Capacity 2018/9/19 ©Sustainable Cities Research Institute

CAPACITY BUILDING The Rio ‘Means of Implementation’ Community Development Institutional Building Skills, knowledge, understanding, capacities

40 participating cities Dungannon Redbridge Durham Stavanger Stirling Tampere Varsinais Suomen Dunkerque Vantaa Lahti Calvià Ferrara Fano Celle Ligure Provincia di Modena Dubrovnik Santa Perpetua de Mogoda Diputaciò de Barcelona Granollers Beja Thessaloniki Frederikshavn Haarlem Valenciennes Leuven Munich Hannover Dunajsaka Luzna Veliko Turnovo Orastie Baia Mare Korelev Gdansk Anysciai Kuressaare Tallin Albertslund Gotland Falkenberg Växjö

To understand the analytical problem Literature review Capacity building projects review Internet debate 1 To use the tools = methods Theoretical background Fieldwork methodology Data collection Data anlaysis Preliminary results To design the analytical tools European Sustainable Cities & Towns Campaign Dissemination of results Setting up of criteria to identify cities‘ efficiency towards sustainability Internet debate 2 International conference Preparation of policy guidelines To interpret and use the results of the analysis

2. Key-person interviews 1. Document analysis and basic data about the city 3. Major actor surveys * Key-holder

Key themes and findings Governing Sustainable Cities……. Governing, Governance and Government

What do we mean by governance? “a process of open and inclusive public decision-making which actively seeks the commitment and engagement of citizens. stakeholders and interest organisations” …and ‘good governance’ is collaborative, consensual, democratic, and ‘bottom-up’ rather than ‘top-down’ 2018/9/19

What are the key principles which underpin good governance? Openness Participation Accountability Effectiveness Coherence (European Governance – A White Paper, 2001) 2018/9/19

But, to these we must add… Principled Leadership Dialogue Trust ….and crucially, Democracy Equity Justice 2018/9/19

The traditional/normative model: the government – Is governance……….. unarguably a ‘good thing’? and somehow better than ‘government? The traditional/normative model: the government – governance continuum Top down Government ‘Bad’ Bottom up Governance ‘Good’ 2018/9/19

Governing Government Governance The DISCUS Model Governing Government Governance From ‘Governing Sustainable Cities’ by Evans, Joas, Sundbach & Theobald, Earthscan Press, 2004 2018/9/19

part of the process of governing and it is So governance is……. part of the process of governing and it is the sphere of public debate, partnership, interaction, dialogue and conflict entered into by local citizens and organisations and by local government 2018/9/19

Local government is the key to local governance Effective urban governance is nurtured by local government The governance process can build institutional capital The governance process can build social capital 2018/9/19

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Institutional capacity for sustainable development The relationship between social and institutional capacity, capacity-building measures and sustainable development policy outcomes Higher Institutional capacity for sustainable development Lower 1 Dynamic governing ⇨ Active sustainability capacity-building ⇨ High possibility for sustainability policy achievement 4 Voluntary governing ⇨ Voluntary sustainability capacity-building ⇨ Low possibility for sustainability policy outcomes Higher Social capacity for sustainable development Lower 2 Active government ⇨ Medium sustainable development capacity-building ⇨ Medium or fairly high possibility for sustainability policy outcomes 3 Passive government ⇨ Low/no sustainable development capacity-building ⇨Sustainability policy failure 2018/9/19 ©Sustainable Cities Research Institute

Key themes and findings…. Local government autonomy The role of the individual Institutional capacity Stakeholder engagement and social capacity Trust, consent and informal links

Key themes and findings…. Local government as the key driver Incremental and pragmatic action Outward looking local government Interaction with other levels of government Capacity building for sustainable development

An Agenda for Action A learning organisation Moving away from policy silos Making alliances with people and organisations Facilitation and leadership Creative and innovative policy making

An Agenda for Action Communicating to make a difference Environmental action as a catalyst Commitment to a long term vision Sharing experience with peers Influencing all levels of government

sustainable development.” “As the level of governance closest to the people, local authorities play a vital role in educating, mobilising and responding to the public to promote sustainable development.” (Agenda 21, 1992)

www.governingsustainablecities.org

Sustainable Cities Research Institute Northumbria University, Bob Evans Sustainable Cities Research Institute Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK bob2.evans@northumbria.ac.uk www.sustainable-cities.org.uk 2018/9/19 ©Sustainable Cities Research Institute