Speaker
Description
Spatial planning is a complex process deeply rooted in institutional contexts, playing a pivotal role in facilitating societal transitions towards sustainability. The governance structures shaping planning are influenced by a network of institutions, regulations, and procedures, which determine the decision-making processes around land-use and spatial configurations. Planning institutions are central to local and infrastructure development. Transformative policy agendas, such as the bioeconomy, hold promise for designing and planning pathways towards enhanced sustainability. However, the implementation of sustainability visions and goals by institutions is often hindered by rigid frameworks, fragmented governance, and a lack of cross-sector coordination. These challenges stem from different views on sustainability, limited control over the private sector, and slow political decision-making. The governance frameworks provide the necessary structures to put policy visions like the bioeconomy into practice, enabling their application across diverse contexts. Therefore, implementing alternative governance frameworks that prioritise sustainability is crucial and could enhance the planning system's effectiveness. Experimental governance (e.g. testbeds, innovation districts, and living labs) and strategic spatial planning can help dismantle entrenched practices, foster learning, and enable institutional flexibility. Experimental governance often involves collaboration between stakeholders from the public, private, academic, and non-profit sectors to drive sustainable transformations. These collaborations aim to facilitate co-creation through decentralised decision-making and action processes, raising questions about interests, conflict resolution, and power dynamics. This paper examines the relationship between planning systems and sustainable transitions, focusing on the bioeconomy as a key driver for change. It explores how experimental governance can contribute to institutional reform, overcoming conflicts, and the promotion greater coherence in policy implementation, helping to actualise visions like the bioeconomy as a workable solution for ongoing sustainability challenges at different scales of governance.
| Keywords | Spatial Planning; Governance Arrangements; Experimental Governance; Sustainability Transitions; Bioeconomy |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
