Jochen Monstadt

Conceptualizing the political ecology of urban infrastructures: insights from technology and urban studies

The debate on urban sustainability has now been on the research agenda for a number of years. One element that has, however, been undertheorized and empirically understudied is the crucial importance of networked urban infrastructures for the ecological sustainability of cities. These infrastructures mediate resource flows and vitally shape environmental practices and sociotechnical innovation in cities. It is thus argued that we need adequate conceptual approaches which reflect the complex interdependencies between cities, networked infrastructures, and urban ecologies and which broaden our understanding of the ways we can develop, govern, and renew our infrastructures in cities in a sustainable way. Scrutinizing the relevant debates both in technology studies and in urban studies, the author reveals that none of the theoretical approaches discussed seems entirely suitable for conceptualizing these interdependencies and the requirements for the sustainable redesign of urban infrastructures. The author shows, however, how urban and technology studies might inspire, complement, and benefit each other in conceptualizing the urban political ecology of networked infrastructures. Combining elements of the different analytical approaches, it is argued, could create new opportunities for the empirical study of infrastructures.

Steering for Sustainable Development: a Typology of Problems and Strategies with respect to Ambivalence, Uncertainty and Distributed Power

Abstract Special features of sustainable development as a governance problem are contrasted with a conventional rationalist ideal of steering based on the unambiguous determination of goals, availability of knowledge to predict consequences and concentration of power to implement strategies. This leads into the elaboration of three problem dimensions of steering for sustainable development: ambivalence of sustainability as a goal, uncertainty of knowledge due to complex interactions between society, technology and nature, and distributed power to shape structural change in society. The problem dimensions are taken as a basis for a typology of steering situations and a review of existing theoretical concepts of steering in society. The paper argues for a differentiated discussion of steering capacities in respect to concrete situations. Along these lines, it presents an approach to match strategies with problems.

Restoring Floodplains in Europe: Policy contexts and project experiences

This book addresses the complex institutional dimensions to restoring floodplains. Despite the recent surge of interest in restoring floodplains among policy and research circles, as well as in the public domain, very few schemes for restoring functional floodplains have been put into practice in Europe to date. The book explores the reasons behind this discrepancy between interest and applications with an original, comparative analysis of the institutional drivers and constraints of floodplain restoration in Europe. It explains why so few projects have been successfully implemented, how recent policy shifts are creating new opportunities for floodplain restoration and what lessons for policy development and project management can be drawn from in-depth analysis of past and present schemes. At a time of rapidly growing interest in restoring floodplains as an important component of efforts to improve flood protection, enhance riparian habitats, strengthen catchment management, raise water quality and pursue integrated rural development, the book critically appraises the relationship between macro-level policy development and enforcement and micro-level project design and implementation. The book begins with two chapters setting out the case for floodplain restoration and assessing the relevant drivers and constraints of EU policy. The next three chapters analyse the policy contexts of floodplain restoration in France, Germany and Britain, addressing the principal drivers and constraints in the fields of water management, flood protection, nature conversation, spatial planning and agriculture. This is followed by six case studies of schemes to restore floodplains, divided between early schemes of the mid-1990s (Rheinvorland-Sud on the Upper Rhine, Bourret on the Garonne and the Long Eau project in England) and ongoing schemes of today (Lenzen on the Elbe, La Basse on the Seine and the Parrett Catchment Project). The book concludes by drawing lessons from the principal findings and providing recommendations for ways of developing policy and designing projects for restoring floodplains in the future. ISBN: 9781780401966 (eBook) ISBN: 9781843390909 (Print)

Editorial: Governance for Sustainable Development in the Face of Ambivalence, Uncertainty and Distributed Power: an Introduction

Abstract Three fundamental observations on the contemporary debate on governance and steering for sustainable development are outlined. First, sustainable development as a highly normative, yet extremely vague concept inescapably raises issues of governance and political steering. Second, the many contributions, approaching sustainability governance from multiple angles, have in common that they assume sustainability goals to a certain extent as given. Third, sustainability poses specific challenges to governance that are different from other policy fields. In this context, exiting contributions highlight issues of complexity, uncertainty or ambivalence, albeit in a rather cursory manner. Against this background, a specific approach is introduced, exploring the complexities that arise from limits to rational steering in three dimensions: Sustainability goals are ambivalent in that they are subject to controversies based on heterogeneous perceptions, values and interests of individuals and societal groups. Moreover, the knowledge of the complex dynamics involving society, technology and nature typically remains highly uncertain. Finally, the power to shape structural change in society and technology is distributed across a multitude of actors and societal subsystems. The article concludes by outlining the structure of the present collection of papers and by summarising each contribution.

Dezentrale Besiedlung als Herausforderung für die Raumentwicklung

Abstract There is currently a debate in Switzerland about the future of peripheral rural areas and adequate policies for maintaining the decentralized settlement patterns of the country. This article presents an interdisciplinary analysis of the issues of decentralized settlement by focusing on the challenges faced in this realm by the region of Surselva in the Canton of Grisons. More precisely, we analyze the economic, institutional, infrastructural and ecological implications of recent socio-economic changes in this region, showing that the current pressure on decentralized settlements is a multi-dimensional phenomenon. The analysis draws on data stemming from 19 qualitative interviews, secondary socio-economic and survey data, as well as ecological modeling. Overall, the results show that there is not a uniformity of pressures on decentralized settlements in the Surselva region. At the economic level, the situation is one of a patchwork, polarized regional development, where areas of decline co-exist w...

Infrastrukturregime und inkrementeller Wandel: Das Beispiel der Energie- und Wasserversorgung in Los Angeles

Ziel des Beitrags ist es, die Herausforderungen umweltpolitischer Reformpolitiken im Bereich technischer Infrastrukturen am Beispiel der Stadt Los Angeles herauszuarbeiten und die sozio-technischen Anpassungs- und Innovationsmuster einer kritischen Analyse zu unterziehen. Im Mittelpunkt steht die Frage, ob und auf welche Weise ambitionierte okologische Energie- und Wasserpolitiken die bestehenden Infrastrukturregime verandern und wie diese auf den wachsenden Reformdruck reagieren. Im Ergebnis zeigt sich, dass sowohl das Energie- als auch das Wasserregime in Los Angeles in der Lage waren, auf den steigenden politischen Druck mit inkrementellen Anpassungsstrategien innerhalb der bestehenden Regimestrukturen zu reagieren, ohne dass etablierte Regelstrukturen und Akteurskonstellationen grundlegend destabilisiert wurden.

Energiemanagement im Umbruch: Institutionelle Steuerung regionaler Energiepolitik am Beispiel Berlins

Die Institutionen der leitungsgebundenen Energieversorgung befinden sich im Umbruch. Basierte die Energiewirtschaft bislang auf der Grundannahme, dass zentrale Ordnungs- und Infrastrukturinteressen nur durch Gebietsmonopole und weitreichende staatliche Kontrolle zu befriedigen seien, hat sich unlangst die Uberzeugung durchgesetzt, dass eine starkere Wettbewerbsorientierung nicht nur moglich, sondern aus Effizienzgrunden auch wunschenswert ist. Dementsprechend wurden mit der Novellierung des uber 63 Jahre lang gultigen Energiewirtschaftsrechts weitreichende institutionelle Reformen der Energiewirtschaft beschlossen und staatliche Kontrollbefugnisse uber die preisgunstige und sichere Energieversorgung zugunsten einer marktorientierten Koordination abgebaut.