Discourse and Practice of Transitions in International Policymaking on Resource Efficiency in the EU

Contributions of Urban Political Ecology to sustainable drainage transitions

“…This article is structured in five parts. The next section introduces the approach of sustainability transitions as one possible solution to the persistent problems associated with unsustainable development (Happaerts, 2016). Transition theory helps us to understand the emergence of SUDS as sociotechnical systems, under the logic of long-term, multi-dimensional, fundamental transformation processes whereby drainage infrastructures change towards more sustainable modes (Markard et al, 2012).…”

“…The change of a regime to more sustainable practices may have unforeseen consequences, as has happened with transportation systems that brought negative impacts to housing regimes due to gentrification (Lawhon and Murphy, 2011); or so-called green gentrification reflected in the increasing inequality of housing access that new green spaces produce in low-income neighbourhoods (Anguelovski et al, 2018;Shokry et al, 2020). Finewood et al (2019) sustain that the character of transitions is (at least initially) apolitical but goes on to fulfil different societal interests when some actors push harder for where they want the system to go or not, in what becomes a process of political judgement (Happaerts, 2016;Meadowcroft, 2009). STT lacks analysis of negotiation exercises and trade-offs around a common goal (Finewood, et al, 2019) and a deeper understanding of the power relations (and imbalances) that are at play in the design, implementation and governance of such transitions, and which produce winners and losers (Lawhon and Murphy, 2011;Markard et al, 2012).…”

“…Furlong (2014) explains that niche experiments are fostered by economic growth and commercial development, in which the 'technical niche' can be reduced to a 'market niche'. Through the examination of policies, it becomes clear that the choice of a specific economic framingbased market dynamic will condition the scope of policy making (Aduet, 2014;Happaerts, 2016).…”