Urban transitions and futures: a tale of governance, justice and security

Maria Dubraska PINEDA,Alexandre B. HEDJAZI

doi:10.7213/urbe.06.002.ed02

Abstract

This special edition of urbe is the product of an ongoing initiative of the University of Geneva, UCLA and City Environment Network (ICE°NET). Within this framework two colloquia gathered colleagues from academia government and the private sector to reβlect on the increasingly complex panorama of urban transformations across the planet. In 2007, a βirst group of academics and policymakers gathered in Geneva to address new sets of challenges that mid-size cities are increasingly being subject to. We then tracked signiβicant challenges that emerging dynamics of change in respect to the environment (i.e. climate change) and energy (patterns of production and consumption) are imposing on urban areas. In addition by raising the singularity of midsize cities in terms of adaptive policy formulation and monitoring, we identiβied new barriers and enablers to mitigate the impacts of those challenges. The discussions aimed to set preliminary readings of new urban transformative trajectories.

Highlights

Since the 2007 colloquium undeniable patterns of change are depicting a new world
In April 2013, the 7th ICLEI European Conference hosted by the city of Geneva provided another opportunity for exchanges between local governments; municipalities and other stakeholders involved in the transformative agendas of cities
Built within the diversity of urban experiences and models we devoted discussions to exploring how the human, built and technological environments interact in the creation of the new spaces of life to complement the ongoing sharing of practices between actors

Summary

Introduction

Since the 2007 colloquium undeniable patterns of change are depicting a new world. IPCC in its March 2014 report for policy makers raises the alarm unequivocally. There is a widespread understanding that in face of century long development models, cities are today as many spaces of environmental degradation, production of unsustainable practices and new insecurities while perpetuating conditions of precarious living They concentrate a plethora of means and tools and are in forefront of many global battles. While our modernist tools for policy and planning are limited and ill equipped to avert crisis and catastrophes, translation of science into policy and exchange of practices can draw new pathways towards sustainable change As such, cities such as Geneva or Curitiba are among a constellation of actors actively leading the way towards sharing practices and knowledge transfer through various networks and alliances and continuous consultations. Beyond fundamental role of exchange of practices and experiences between the decision makers with this edition of urbe we aim to re lect on some of theoretical and empirical underpinning of major dynamics of change that bridge the many dimensions of urban transitions by answering the following questions: 1)What is the “Good City” to aspire to? 2) How do we problematize, imagine, and create a new Urban Future? 3) How do we transition from the current Urban Dynamics to the more inclusive and sustainable Urban Life-Space?

Objectives

Methods