Urban Sustainability Transitions

This book contributes to current debates regarding purposive transitions to sustainable cities, providing an accessible but critical exploration of sustainability transitions in urban settings. We have now entered the urban century, which is not without its own challenges, as discussed in the preceding book of this series. Urbanization is accompanied by a myriad of complex and overlapping environmental, social and governance challenges ¿ which increasingly call into question conventional, market-based responses and simple top-down government interventions. Faced with these challenges, urban practitioners and scholars alike are interested in promoting purposive transitions to sustainable cities. The chapters in this volume contribute to the growing body of literature on city-scale transformative change, which seeks to address a lack of consideration for spatial and urban governance dimensions in sustainability transitions studies, and expand on the basis established in the preceding book. Drawing on a range of perspectives and written by leading Australian and international urban researchers, the chapters explore contemporary cases from Australia and locate them within the international context.  
Australia is on the one hand representative of many OECD countries, while on the other possessing a number of unique attributes that may serve to highlight issues and potentials internationally. Australia is a highly urbanized country and because of the federal political structure and the large distances, the five largest state-capital cities have a relatively high degree of autonomy in governance ¿ even dominating the rest of their respective states and rural hinterlands to a certain extent. This context suggests that Australian cases can provide interesting ¿test-tube¿ perspectives on processes relevant to urban sustainability transitions worldwide. This volume presents an extensive overview of theories, concepts, approaches and practical examples informed by sustainability transitions thinking, offering a unique resource for all urban practitioners and scholars who want to understand and transition to sustainable urban futures.

Highlights theories, policies, case studies and discussions relating to purposive urban sustainability transitions

Chapter 1 ¿ Introduction Authors: Editorial team ¿ Dr Trivess Moore, Dr Fjalar J de Haan, Professor Ralph Horne and Professor Brendan Gleeson   Chapter 2 ¿ Urban Sustainability Transitions: scalar and social dimensions Author: Professor Ralph Horne, RMIT University   Part I Introduction to urban governance section Author: Dr Fjalar de Haan, The University of Melbourne. This section introduces the following five chapters which focus on urban governance within sustainability transitions.   Chapter 3 ¿ Urban transitions governance ¿ conceptual challenges and practical solutions Author: Dr Fjalar J de Haan, The University of Melbourne.   Chapter 4 ¿ Strategic spatial planning re-imagined: An exploration of socio-technical transitions to empower forward looking, sustainable city-region development  Authors: Dr John Morrissey, Liverpool John Moores University, Dr Susie Moloney, RMIT University, Dr Trivess Moore, RMIT University.   Chapter 5 ¿ Sustainability transition theories and organisational strategic planning: a case study Authors: Judy Bush, The University of Melbourne, Associate Professor Lu Aye, The University of Melbourne, Dr Dominique Hes, The University of Melbourne, Paul Murfitt, CEO of the Moreland Energy Foundation Ltd.   Chapter 6 ¿ The role of regional boundary organisations in sustainability transitions under a changing climate Authors: Dr Karyn Bosomworth, RMIT University, Dr Brian Coffey, RMIT University, Dr Susie Moloney, RMIT University.   Chapter 7 ¿ The role of Government supporting niche development to influence the regime Author: Dr Trivess Moore, RMIT University.   Part II Introduction to specific approaches to urban transitions section Authors: Dr Trivess Moore, RMIT University, Professor Ralph Horne, RMIT University.   Chapter 8 ¿ Water Sensitive Cities Author(s): Dr Briony Rogers, Monash University (with possible contributions from Professor Rebekah Brown, Monash University, Dr Fjalar de Haan, The University of Melbourne and others).   Chapter 9 ¿ Regime resistance and discursive strategies in sustainability transitions Author(s): Adrian Ford, The University of Melbourne, Dr. Paul Gruba, The University of Melbourne.   Chapter 10 ¿ The greyfields initiative Author: Professor Peter Newton, Swinburne University of Technology.   Chapter 11 ¿ Transition towns and the Transition Network ¿ Australian experiences Authors: Dr Samuel Alexander, The University of Melbourne (and an additional author TBC)   Part III Introduction to spatial dimensions of urban transitions section Authors: Professor Brendan Gleeson, The University of Melbourne.   Chapter 12 ¿ Urban fragmentation and sustainability transitions Author (s):  Professor Tony Dalton, RMIT University (TBC) and possible other authors.   Chapter 13 ¿ Multi-level perspective and urban planning Authors: Andreanne Doyon, The University of Melbourne, Dr Ole Fryd, The University of Melbourne.   Chapter 14 ¿ Urban mobilities and transitions Author: Professor Jago Dodson, RMIT University.   Chapter 15 ¿ Sustainability transitions in the urban age Authors: Professor Brendan Gleeson, The University of Melbourne.   Chapter 16 ¿ Conclusion Authors: Dr Trivess Moore, RMIT University, Dr Fjalar J de Haan, The University of Melbourne, Professor Ralph Horne, RMIT University, Professor Brendan Gleeson, The University of Melbourne.