Dilemmas of Sustainable Urban Development

Jonathan Metzger is Professor in Urban and Regional Studies at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. Most of his research deals with decision making concerning complex environmental issues—often (but not exclusively) with a focus on urban and regional policy and politics. In his work he relates to, and finds inspiration in, research debates within the subject areas of planning studies, human geography, science and technology studies, and organization studies.​ Jenny Lindblad is a PhD candidate in Urban and Regional Studies at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. Her dissertation explores bureaucratic practices in French urban planning, and particularly the implications of contexts as a setting for, and product of, planning. Broadly, her research inquires how material infrastructures shape urban geographies. Jenny is trained in social anthropology, and an associated member of the research center Profession, Architecture, Ville et Environnement (PAVE) of the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture et de Paysage de Bordeaux.

INTRODUCTION

A practice-centered approach to dilemmas of sustainable urban development

Jonathan Metzger & Jenny Lindblad

Chapter 1. LAW

Sustainable Development in English planning law: Golden Thread or Black Swan

Sue Chadwick

Chapter 2. POLITICS

Who stands up for the ecology? The politics of sustainable land use in Stockholm

Sabina Edelman

Chapter 3. CONCRETIZATION

Sustainability in city management and urban planning in Gothenburg: from vague vision to social inclusion activities

Petra Adolfsson and Sara Brorström

Chapter 4. STRATEGY

What is more important than getting things done? Learning from Sustainable Sydney 2030

Martin Kornberger

Chapter 5. BEST PRACTICE

Best-Practices: Contradictions of the ‘Green City’ in Germany

Samuel Mössner & Rob Krueger

Chapter 6. MOBILITY

Promises of intermodality for sustainable mobility in Bordeaux

Patrice Godier & Guy Tapie

Chapter 7. COMPLEXITIES

Construction sites of sustainable low carbon transition in Paris: snapshots of internal organization, energy plans and technical infrastructure

Jonathan Rutherford & Sylvère Angot

Chapter 8. VALUES

Valuing sustainability in Bordeaux: should the lawn be mowed?

Jenny Lindblad

Chapter 9. PROGRAMMING

Programming urban transitions in practice

Jonas Bylund

Chapter 10. EVIDENCE

Evidence-based urban development: beyond the urban anecdotes?

Magnus Johansson & Joakim Forsemalm

Chapter 11. SMART

Climate-Smart Cities: A corporate takeover of urban environmental governance in Malmö?

Darcy Parks

Chapter 12. OWNERSHIP

Delivering sustainable development: landownership and accountability in Cambridge city

Sophia Peacock & Phil Allmendinger

Chapter 13. TOOLS

Realizing the vision of a socially inclusive RiverCity

Jacob Lindkvist, Kristian Käll & Anders Svensson

Chapter 14. COMMONS

Producing collaborative sustainable urban development: experiences of water management in Bangalore, India

Hita Unnikrishnan, Vanesa Castán Broto & Harini Nagendra

Chapter 15. EXPECTATIONS

Hope and despair: professionals’ struggle to navigate multiple planning ideas in a public-private collaboration in Gothenburg

Mari Kågström

Chapter 16. CONCLUDING COMMENTARY

Will sustainability be replaced by resilience, and if so, why?

Barbara Czarniawska