How to support German cities in implementing the SDGs: learning from and about co-design

Kerstin Krellenberg,Florian Koch

doi:10.1017/sus.2021.16

Abstract

Non-technical summaryScientists often argue that today's efforts towards sustainability in cities call for a strong exchange on knowledge with non-scientific actors. But do urban practitioners think the same way? Do they see the need for scientific support in their work? In our research, we directly asked these questions to urban practitioners. This article evolves around their answers and describes the activities we conducted in order to start the necessary discussion with them.Technical summaryGiven the challenges cities are facing in their efforts towards sustainability, we scrutinize if urban practitioners believe that scientific knowledge can support them in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and if, how. To find evidence, we conducted a ‘co-design’ approach in Future Earth in terms of knowledge production, targeting at German cities. In consequence, the aims of this article are twofold. First, we aim at describing the implementation of the co-design process itself as a potentially useful tool for the interaction with urban practitioners and the evaluation of their specific needs. Second, we present the main results of the co-design process and its contribution for SDG implementation in cities. Combining the two aims, we argue for novel research approaches that allow for more collaborative activities as well as for adequate funding opportunities in the light of urban sustainability transformations.Media summaryCo-design to support SDG implementation in cities towards sustainability transformations.

Highlights

Given the challenges cities are facing in their efforts towards sustainability, we scrutinize if urban practitioners believe that scientific knowledge can support them in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and if, how
We present the main results of the co-design process and its contribution for SDG implementation in cities
Given that urban transformations and the implementation of the SDGs require a holistic, cross-sector perspective, we argue that the focus of such a co-design approach needs to be broader than often pursued in Urban Living Labs and Real-World Laboratories: It is not a specific clearly identifiable urban problem but the process of urban transformations to sustainability as a whole which needs to be addressed in the co-design process

Summary

Co-design in urban sustainability transformations

Co-design approaches in global change and sustainability research that are targeting at the collaboration between scientists and non-scientific actors range from jointly defined research questions and jointly developed projects (co-design), to ‘co-production of knowledge’ (Lang et al, 2012; Moser, 2016). To give one example: In Australia, a Future Earth co-design process and its findings were considered as the starting point to develop a collaborative research agenda in the field of sustainable urban development, with the aim of informing Australian cities but to contributing to international communities such as the Future Earth Urbanisation Knowledge Action Network (Webb et al, 2018). Different pathways on how science can contribute to sustainable development in cities exist: for example, sharing knowledge practices, implementing transformative research projects, contributing to local capacity building or self-governing of research institutions towards sustainability (Bansard et al, 2019) All of these pathways require a close cooperation with actors outside of the academic world.

Organization and implementation of the co-design process

Outcomes of the different activities of the co-design process

Conclusions from the co-design process for SDG implementation

Resources and organization

Structure and participants

Outcomes of the process