The life and death of growth cities: Investigating the transition to degrowth spatial planning on a Danish municipal scale
Author
Term
4. semester
Publication year
2023
Submitted on
2023-06-01
Pages
133
Abstract
While sustainability has started to permeate the spatial planning practices of a number of municipalities, this somewhat superficial and ambiguous approach is grounded in an inherently unsustainable growth mindset. As cities attempt to transition towards climate neutrality and circularity, greenwashing and techno-optimist fixes threaten to supplant and undermine initially altruistic climate ambitions. Paradigmatic spatial planning is therefore in need of a new, non-growth based spatial planning model to earnestly, expeditiously and actually reimagine and realize a built environment configured around social and environmental well-being rather than economic profit. This report therefore positions the degrowth movement in relation both to transition theory and spatial planning practice to hypothesize what a transition to degrowth spatial planning would entail. To contextualize this theoretical pathway of change, the climate plans of a Danish municipality are evaluated in terms of degrowth spatial planning. This analysis culminates in a proposal for municipalities to refine and implement degrowth spatial planning to attain a socially just and ecologically sustainable future.
Keywords
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