Regenerative

Discover 4 keys to make cities regenerative:

#Regional - Regional integration makes cities stronger

Sustainable and just cities have strong, circular and equitable links with one another in the context of a wider region, supporting both urban and rural areas. They support decentralized and collaborative economic and planning approaches, in which individual responsibility is balanced with the well-being of the region as a whole. These cities are attuned to the interconnected natural and human systems in their region: infrastructure, resource and waste flows, as well as cultural and social behaviours. With growing translocal challenges, cities can reorient goods and services to their nearby surroundings, decreasing environmental impacts and increasing resilience to crises.

Related keys: #Participation #Knowledge #Nature

What approaches can activate this key?

Enhancing the mutually beneficial development of cities and their regions for the broader purposes of sustainability and justice can be activated by three groups of approaches and goals. The first is to enable dialogue and mutual learning between civil society, the scientific community and policy makers, paying close attention to the inclusion of diverse voices and of knowledge coming from experience. This can take place via Co-learning and knowledge brokerage, Multi-stakeholder partnership - policy, Data Collection, Pathways and scenarios. The second is to support and strengthen innovative governance processes that allow for effective and empowered participation by all stakeholders, for instance via Democratic innovation through recognition, Governance and participation processes or Participatory budgeting. Finally, the third is to ensure that the initiatives and policies that are shaping the territory and people’s mindsets and behaviours can engender learning in a systemic and integral way from interventions, namely in terms of their design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and adaptation. Some concrete approaches are Community gardens and food, Social food movements, Sustainable food supply chains, Nature-based solutions, Governance for urban climate mitigation and adaptation, and Regeneration of disused urban land.

What governance arrangements enable this key?

Developing a comprehensive vision of change that can include and integrate aspirations from the regional level down to the local and community level is crucial for achieving greater sustainability and justice. Such a vision needs to go beyond words and actually shape policies, urban planning and small-scale interventions. As such, its implementation needs to come along with capacity- and relationship-building processes to empower it. [[Build bridges between separate stakeholder groups|Building bridges between separate stakeholder groups] and Committing to a meaningful participation process are two such governance arrangements. They enable communication and broker information between different stakeholders and within institutions (effectively breaking silos), building up trust, as well as furthering inclusive and decentralised democratic participation.

What drivers of injustice does this key address?

Seeing cities as interdependent and integrated members of a region addresses the lack of coordinated policy and effective decision-making by urban governance institutions at different scales (Unfit institutional structures). It also addresses the insufficient, ineffective and limited participation in urban development: Lack of effective knowledge brokerage and stewardship opportunities and Limited citizen participation in urban planning). Regional thinking can bring a deeper capacity to listening, planning, intervening and learning in a way that breaks the status quo in terms of both sustainability and justice, especially in regard to decision making for investments and the distribution of resource flows (Uneven and exclusionary urban intensification and regeneration).

Extra insights from UrbanA Community

Inspirational example

Avenues for action

You might be wondering, what everyday actions can I take to put all this theory into practice? Take a look at the avenues for action, below, for some practical guidance.

#Art - Art creates a sense of belonging, and has the power to transform places

Sustainable and just cities promote cultural, artistic and creative activities. Artistic practices help overcome verbal and emotional barriers, and can build shared values such as justice and belonging. The arts play a crucial role in political expression and education, in that they enable much needed social dialogue within and between communities. From there, people can make use of this exchange of local knowledge to promote visions for sustainable and just cities. Moreover, a sense of belonging and togetherness created in urban cultural and historic areas helps empower communities for a just transition.

Related keys: #Accessibility #Diversity #Knowledge (LINK TO THEIR CLUSTER PAGES)

What approaches can activate this key?

What governance arrangements enable this key?

What drivers of injustice does this key address?

Extra insights from UrbanA Community

Inspirational example

Avenues for action

You might be wondering, what everyday actions can I take to put all this theory into practice? Take a look at the avenues for action, below, for some practical guidance.

#Participation - Meaningful participation is empowering

Sustainable and just cities offer all people the opportunity to deliberate on and co-create plans and policies. The historic lack of platform and unequal power given to some groups in decision making are actively addressed. Participation is not just a buzzword with a standard set of expected steps or outcomes. Rather, it is an evolving process that empowers people to shape their cities in ways that respond to their needs and aspirations. By governing through meaningful participation, outcomes are more inclusive and effective, and are genuinely supported by the public.

Related keys: #Power #Diversity #CivilSociety (LINK TO THEIR CLUSTER PAGES)

What approaches can activate this key?

What governance arrangements enable this key?

What drivers of injustice does this key address?

Extra insights from UrbanA Community

Inspirational example

Avenues for action

You might be wondering, what everyday actions can I take to put all this theory into practice? Take a look at the avenues for action, below, for some practical guidance.

#Adaptation - Change is inevitable, and adaptation essential

Sustainable and just cities go beyond being open to change, they have a spirit of continuous adaptation. Disruptive changes, such as climate change and global pandemics, aggravate systemic inequalities. City-makers stay alert to these, as well as unintended consequences from their actions and are prepared to learn from potential failures. They embrace just transformation through a flexible and reflexive approach. They adapt along the way, based on emerging opportunities, needs and ongoing experience.

Related keys: #Knowledge #Translocal #Technology (LINK TO THEIR CLUSTER PAGES)

What approaches can activate this key?

What governance arrangements enable this key?

What drivers of injustice does this key address?

Extra insights from UrbanA Community

Inspirational example

Avenues for action

You might be wondering, what everyday actions can I take to put all this theory into practice? Take a look at the avenues for action, below, for some practical guidance.