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Concluding Discussion – Input Mike Hodson – SURF Centre, University of Salford, UK. Politics and Governance in Sustainable Socio-Technical Transitions – Schloss Blankensee/Berlin, 19-21 September 2007. 1. The role of cities and regions in system innovations and transitions?.
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Concluding Discussion – InputMike Hodson – SURF Centre, University of Salford, UK Politics and Governance in Sustainable Socio-Technical Transitions – Schloss Blankensee/Berlin, 19-21 September 2007
1. The role of cities and regions in system innovations and transitions? • How currently viewed? • Multiplicity of contexts – national, regional, cities, sectors, projects, practices • Questions about the relationships between different scales and contexts of governance • Asymmetrical power relations • Where do cities and regions fit? As sites for ‘receiving’ transition initiatives but also as contexts for more purposive transition? • Translating national priorities or developing city level priorities? • If the former – raises about translation of national priorities • If the latter – who shapes vision? ‘Connecting’ expertise and democracy at a city scale? • Role of cities and regions is uncertain, fragmented and often implicit
2. Why does this matter? • What if ‘societal problems’ are constructed at city and regional scale? E.g. • Cities as producers of GG emissions – 78% • Cities as suffering the consequences of global warming • Cities as providing novel socio-technical responses • Addressing this…emerging agenda • World cities developing targets that outstrip national government • Aspirations for ‘self-sufficient’ infrastructures and withdrawal from national provision • At the same time ‘by-passing’ national government and building networks with other world cities and MNCs
3. A different view on cities and regions • Challenges in developing a notion of urban transitions • Recognising the redistribution of responsibilities across scales • New coalitions of social interests coalescing around cities and regions • Particular places are privileged - understanding the differential capacity to act of cities and regions – place and agency • As regimes? • As niches? • As systems? • As context for projects? • Requires further conceptual and empirical work