Industrial ecology for sustainableurban development- the case of Hammarby Sjöstad

Today, more than half the world’s population lives in cities largely dependent on resources and ecosystem services from outside their physical boundaries. Correspondingly, urban resource needs and waste generation have serious worldwide ecological consequences, and urban areas have become a primary driver of environmental change. In response, various sustainable urban developments have been initiated worldwide. Quite a few of these rely on strategies giving urban areas the characteristics of ecosystems, i.e., fostering urban symbiosis by integrating infrastructural systems to optimise the environmental performance of the system as a whole. Whether or not the strategy of urban symbiosis actually contributes to sustainable urban development is, however, debated. It may support only short-term system optimisation, hindering the implementation of new technology crucial for the longterm environmental improvement of society, as that might require no symbiosis but substitution. Or it might actually support a complete transition to sustainable urban development. Consequently, this thesis explores the research question “How can urban symbiosis contribute to sustainable urban development?” using the implementation of urban symbiosis strategies in Hammarby Sjöstad, Stockholm, Sweden, as a single-case study. The choice of a single-case study approach was an attractive approach as the sustainable development strategy implemented in Hammarby Sjöstad was clear and consistent: the approach aimed at sustainable urban development by using innovative technical solutions such as urban symbiosis, and not by changing the behaviour of the inhabitants of the district. This fortuitous “natural experiment” was useful, as strategies for sustainable development are often difficult to evaluate since they are often not very clearly or consistently applied. Using results based on literature reviews, in-depth interviews, discussions with focus groups, and quantitative data, this thesis concludes that urban symbiosis strategies do not directly respond to path dependence, and that such strategies are as dependent on radical behavioural change as are transition management strategies. In addition, urban symbiosis strategies can optimise existing infrastructural systems and advance the planning of the sustainable urban district.QC 20140514</p

Fossilfri och tillgänglig transport och mobilitet

Rapporten presenterar 2020 års verksamhet inom det gemensamma vetenskapliga rådet mellan Stockholms stad och KTH. Rapporten sammanfattar rådets arbete kring temat "Fossilfri och tillgänglig transport och mobilitet" som utgick från stadens "Klimathandlingsplan 2020–2023." Den tydligaste strategiska perspektivet som rådet lyft fram är den kring rådighet; att Klimathandlingsplanen fokuserar på bränsleomställning där staden har svag eller ingen rådighet, samtidigt som de områden där staden har tydlig rådighet (till exempel stadsplanering) hamnar i skymundan. Flertal vägar framåt lyfts fram för att gå vidare.QC 20210524Vetenskapligt råd mellan KTH och Stockholms sta

Fossilfri och tillgänglig transport och mobilitet

Rapporten presenterar 2020 års verksamhet inom det gemensamma vetenskapliga rådet mellan Stockholms stad och KTH. Rapporten sammanfattar rådets arbete kring temat "Fossilfri och tillgänglig transport och mobilitet" som utgick från stadens "Klimathandlingsplan 2020–2023." Den tydligaste strategiska perspektivet som rådet lyft fram är den kring rådighet; att Klimathandlingsplanen fokuserar på bränsleomställning där staden har svag eller ingen rådighet, samtidigt som de områden där staden har tydlig rådighet (till exempel stadsplanering) hamnar i skymundan. Flertal vägar framåt lyfts fram för att gå vidare.QC 20210524Vetenskapligt råd mellan KTH och Stockholms sta

Nowcasting CO2 Emissions : early estimates or “nowcasts” for monitoring changes in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs)

Anthesis AB, Real-Zero Consulting HB, PlanMiljø Aps and Kausal Ltd have conducted a survey on the use and the possible uses of early estimates or “nowcasts” for monitoring changes in greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) with a focus on fossil CO2. Nordic countries report emission statistics to the UNFCCC as well as EU. Due to more ambitious national mitigation targets, there is need for more timely emission statistics. The project suggests a development of early estimates through:- further analysis of the need and possibilities for nowcasting, focusing on a clear understanding of what timely emission estimates will be used for.- instigate a climate policy lab, given the complexity to overview and communicate the need and possibilities for nowcasting data.- create a portal collecting available emission statistics, as currently it is a complex task to overview available emission statistics

Niche entrepreneurs in urban systems integration: On the role of individuals in niche formation

In many sustainable urban innovation projects, the efforts, endurance and enthusiasm of individuals at key positions are considered a crucial factor for success. This article studies the role of individual agency in sociotechnical niches by using Kingdon’s agenda-setting model. Although strategic niche management is commonly used to study processes of urban innovation, the process of niche formation and the role of individual agency has been understudied. We will introduce the notion of the ‘niche entrepreneur’ as an actor who, analogous to Kingdon’s policy entrepreneur, connects the elements that are needed to develop a successful niche that allows learning for sustainability transitions. We will study the process of niche formation and the role of individual entrepreneurship therein, and identify the strategies that have been used by individuals to create a successful niche. This will be done for three cases in urban systems integration: the development of Eva Lanxmeer, a residential district in a drinking water retention area in Culemborg, the Netherlands; the transformation of the waste management practices of Lille Métropole Urban Community, France; and the development of the urban district Hammarby Sjöstad, Sweden. Our findings show that for the successful formation of niches, it is necessary to create ambitious, but clear goals and matching concrete operational plans; niche entrepreneurs may play the role of project champions that contribute significantly to the operationalization, monitoring and the effectuation of the original goals of the project; the strategies of niche entrepreneurs emphasize the building of coalitions and the securing of space for learning.Ethics & Philosophy of TechnologyUrban Development Managemen

The Zero Energy concept: making the whole greater than the sum of the parts to meet the Paris Climate Agreement's objectives

Urban areas, which are expected to host more than two-thirds of the world's population by 2050, provide unique opportunities for the implementation of the radical policies needed to meet the Paris Climate objectives. Pioneer municipalities in Europe are leading the transformation needed to achieve zero energy and/or zero carbon communities by integrating policies across different sectors (buildings, transport, waste, water and energy supply). Critical factors identified through the analysis of existing initiatives include first, having clearly defined long-term targets, community boundaries and values, second, linking targets to community priorities such as economic development and urban renewal, and third, transposing long-term goals into milestones and short-term objectives to avoid discouraging the community. Challenges identified include first, capacity building, second, citizen participation and third, adequate project documentation as well as monitoring of the achievements