The life and death of growth cities: Investigating the transition to degrowth spatial planning on a Danish municipal scale
Author
Deeg, Anna Brigitte
Term
4. semester
Publication year
2023
Submitted on
2023-06-01
Pages
133
Abstract
Mange kommuner har i dag bæredygtighed med i deres rumlige planlægning, men tilgangen er ofte overfladisk og stadig bundet til en antagelse om vedvarende økonomisk vækst. Når byer sigter mod klimaneutralitet og en cirkulær økonomi, kan greenwashing og overdreven teknologioptimisme aflede opmærksomheden fra, og endda undergrave, reelle klimahandlinger. Afhandlingen argumenterer for, at den dominerende rumlige planlægning behøver en ny model, der ikke bygger på vækst, og som sætter social og miljømæssig trivsel før profit. Den kobler nedvækst-bevægelsen (som prioriterer trivsel og lavere ressourceforbrug frem for økonomisk ekspansion) med transitionsteori (et rammeværk for, hvordan systemer ændrer sig) og med planlægningspraksis for at undersøge, hvordan en overgang til nedvækst i rumlig planlægning kan se ud. For at forankre ideerne vurderer afhandlingen en dansk kommunes klimaplaner gennem en nedvækst-linse. Afslutningsvis gives forslag til, hvordan kommuner kan udvikle og indføre nedvækst-orienteret rumlig planlægning for at fremme en socialt retfærdig og økologisk bæredygtig fremtid.
Many municipalities now include sustainability in their spatial planning, but the approach is often superficial and still tied to an assumption of continuous economic growth. As cities aim for climate neutrality and a circular economy, greenwashing and overly optimistic technology fixes can distract from and even undermine genuine climate action. This thesis argues that mainstream spatial planning needs a new model that is not based on growth and that puts social and environmental well-being ahead of profit. It connects the degrowth movement (which prioritizes well-being and lower resource use over expanding the economy) with transition theory (a framework for how systems change) and planning practice to explore what a shift to degrowth spatial planning could look like. To ground the ideas, the thesis evaluates the climate plans of one Danish municipality through a degrowth lens. It concludes with suggestions for how municipalities can refine and implement degrowth-oriented spatial planning to support a socially just and ecologically sustainable future.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
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