Projektområden: Environment/Climate change

Nudging for Sustainability: Insights for Sustainable Consumption

Regional focus: Kenya & Sweden / The Climate Action Network

Time: October 2023 – April 2024

This small-scale project is the follow up on a Local Democracy Lab with Mombasa County and the region of Västerbotten, where they jointly asked researchers the question: ”How can we use nudging to promote sustainable consumption and waste management by civic engagement (and enhanced capacity building)?

To evolve the lab discussion, this project aims to contextualize global best practices in nudging within the unique socio-cultural and administrative landscapes of Mombasa and Västernorrland, facilitating effective sustainable consumption and waste management strategies.

Research questions:

  1. What are the global best practices in using nudging techniques for sustainable consumption and waste management?
  2. How do experts from Mombasa and Västernorrland perceive the application and challenges of nudging within their specific contexts?
  3. How can the insights from global best practices be tailored and implemented effectively in Mombasa and Västernorrland?

Abstract: This project seeks to explore the potential of nudging as a transformative tool to enhance sustainable consumption and waste management in Mombasa and Västernorrland. Leveraging a comparative expert analysis approach, the research will commence with a comprehensive global best practice analysis to benchmark successful nudging interventions worldwide. This foundational understanding will be enriched by in-depth expert interviews from both regions, gathering insights on the nuances, challenges, and tailored solutions for nudging within their unique contexts. By synthesizing global best practices with regional expertise, the study aims to offer actionable, evidence-based strategies for local governments. The objective is not just to understand nudging in theory but to contextualize its application for real-world impact, ensuring sustainability initiatives are both effective and culturally resonant. Through this rigorous approach, the research aspires to bridge the gap between global knowledge and local implementation, fostering a sustainable future driven by informed decision-making.

Researcher:

  • Jua Cilliers, Professor of Urban Planning, Head of School of Built Environment, University of Technology Sydney

Projektområde
Environment/Climate change
Globala mål
13 - Bekämpa klimatförändringarna
Tema
Participatory democracy, citizen dialogues and budgeting

Nudging for Sustainability: Insights for Sustainable Consumption

Regional focus: Kenya & Sweden / The Climate Action Network

Time: October 2023 – April 2024

This small-scale project is the follow up on a Local Democracy Lab with Mombasa County and the region of Västerbotten, where they jointly asked researchers the question: ”How can we use nudging to promote sustainable consumption and waste management by civic engagement (and enhanced capacity building)?

To evolve the lab discussion, this project aims to contextualize global best practices in nudging within the unique socio-cultural and administrative landscapes of Mombasa and Västernorrland, facilitating effective sustainable consumption and waste management strategies.

Research questions:

  1. What are the global best practices in using nudging techniques for sustainable consumption and waste management?
  2. How do experts from Mombasa and Västernorrland perceive the application and challenges of nudging within their specific contexts?
  3. How can the insights from global best practices be tailored and implemented effectively in Mombasa and Västernorrland?

Abstract: This project seeks to explore the potential of nudging as a transformative tool to enhance sustainable consumption and waste management in Mombasa and Västernorrland. Leveraging a comparative expert analysis approach, the research will commence with a comprehensive global best practice analysis to benchmark successful nudging interventions worldwide. This foundational understanding will be enriched by in-depth expert interviews from both regions, gathering insights on the nuances, challenges, and tailored solutions for nudging within their unique contexts. By synthesizing global best practices with regional expertise, the study aims to offer actionable, evidence-based strategies for local governments. The objective is not just to understand nudging in theory but to contextualize its application for real-world impact, ensuring sustainability initiatives are both effective and culturally resonant. Through this rigorous approach, the research aspires to bridge the gap between global knowledge and local implementation, fostering a sustainable future driven by informed decision-making.

Researcher:

  • Jua Cilliers, Professor of Urban Planning, Head of School of Built Environment, University of Technology Sydney

Projektområde
Environment/Climate change
Globala mål
13 - Climate action
Tema
Participatory democracy, citizen dialogues and budgeting

Just, plastic free transition and climate change resilience in Mombasa County

Regional focus: Eastern Africa / the Climate Action Network

Time: December 2023-January 2025

Abstract: Plastic waste is a growing environmental concern in the coastal city of Mombasa in Kenya. Open burning of plastic at dumpsites generates greenhouse gases. Floods dump tonnes of plastic waste into the ocean causing biodiversity and economic losses. Mombasa County Government has developed various policies, strategies and legislations to curb plastic pollution and reduce community vulnerability to climate change. Kenya’s Constitution requires that public policy decisions and actions, must adhere to democratic principles such transparency, public participation and justice. Using environmental democracy as an analytical framework, this project aims to critically examine how plastic governance in Mombasa County creates democratic spaces for civil society and grassroots organizations to engage in plastic pollution and climate change governance. Participatory action research will be used to examine the opportunities, gaps and challenges for the County government to deliver a citizen-centered, just, plastic-free transition.

Research questions:

  1. How does Mombasa City County Government identify and respond to the needs and aspirations of civil society and grassroots organizations affected by and working to reduce plastic waste pollution in coastal areas of Mombasa?
  2. What are the current policies and plans that are implemented by Mombasa City County Government to achieve a sustainable and inclusive plastic waste management, to reduce the vulnerability of coastal communities in the context of climate change?
  3. How do policies, plans and actions by Mombasa County Government engage with local aspirations and needs?
  4. Through what mechanisms does the civil society and grassroots organizations hold Mombasa County Government accountable for its action or in action on ensuring sustainable and just plastic waste governance? How effective are those mechanisms for accountability?
  5. How can citizen engagement processes, actions, policies and plans be improved to lead towards a green and just plastic free transition?

Main researchers:

  • Dr. Richard Dimba Kiaka, CEJAD, Research Associate
  • Prof. Maria-Jose Zapata, University of Gothenburg, Professor
  • Prof. Patrik Zapata, University of Gothenburg, Professor

This research project aims to directly support ICLD’s Network for Climate Action, and specifically the municipal partnership between Mombasa County and Region Västernorrland.

Other ICLD research by the authors:

Projektområde
Environment/Climate change
Globala mål
11 - Hållbara städer och samhällen13 - Bekämpa klimatförändringarna

Just, plastic free transition and climate change resilience in Mombasa County

Regional focus: Eastern Africa / the Climate Action Network

Time: December 2023-January 2025

Abstract: Plastic waste is a growing environmental concern in the coastal city of Mombasa in Kenya. Open burning of plastic at dumpsites generates greenhouse gases. Floods dump tonnes of plastic waste into the ocean causing biodiversity and economic losses. Mombasa County Government has developed various policies, strategies and legislations to curb plastic pollution and reduce community vulnerability to climate change. Kenya’s Constitution requires that public policy decisions and actions, must adhere to democratic principles such transparency, public participation and justice. Using environmental democracy as an analytical framework, this project aims to critically examine how plastic governance in Mombasa County creates democratic spaces for civil society and grassroots organizations to engage in plastic pollution and climate change governance. Participatory action research will be used to examine the opportunities, gaps and challenges for the County government to deliver a citizen-centered, just, plastic-free transition.

Research questions:

  1. How does Mombasa City County Government identify and respond to the needs and aspirations of civil society and grassroots organizations affected by and working to reduce plastic waste pollution in coastal areas of Mombasa?
  2. What are the current policies and plans that are implemented by Mombasa City County Government to achieve a sustainable and inclusive plastic waste management, to reduce the vulnerability of coastal communities in the context of climate change?
  3. How do policies, plans and actions by Mombasa County Government engage with local aspirations and needs?
  4. Through what mechanisms does the civil society and grassroots organizations hold Mombasa County Government accountable for its action or in action on ensuring sustainable and just plastic waste governance? How effective are those mechanisms for accountability?
  5. How can citizen engagement processes, actions, policies and plans be improved to lead towards a green and just plastic free transition?

Main researchers:

  • Dr. Richard Dimba Kiaka, CEJAD, Research Associate
  • Prof. Maria-Jose Zapata, University of Gothenburg, Professor
  • Prof. Patrik Zapata, University of Gothenburg, Professor

This research project aims to directly support ICLD’s Network for Climate Action, and specifically the municipal partnership between Mombasa County and Region Västernorrland.

Other ICLD research by the authors:

Projektområde
Environment/Climate change
Globala mål
11 - Sustainable cities and communities13 - Climate action

TRANS-Lighthouses

Regional Focus: Europe

Time: May 2023-2026

ICLD is part of a consortium of European organizations to undertake a large-scale research project on inclusive nature-based solutions (NBS).

Abstract:

TRANS-lighthouses aims to gather evidence on material and immaterial results of NBS in order to rethink and reframe the main elements that compose the complexity of creating social and ecologically just NBS. More than a driving process, the collaborative work on planning and making NBS functional might stimulate a more concerted response towards environmental and climate crises, increasing the commitment of different stakeholders and upscaling their own spheres of action. TRANS-lighthouses adopts a nonlinear perspective and opens up space for the adoption of a fluid and organic position that is able to integrate the diversity of subjects, institutions, knowledge(s), practices and values. TRANS-lighthouses’ ambition is to become a European reference on sociopolitical challenges for supporting NBS projects and solutions. The socio-politics dimension will be part of the public agenda for NBS towards SYSTEMIC CHANGE. This ambition will be achieved by assessing the benefits and limitations of NBS co-creation that have already been implemented and designed, tested and disseminated economically and socially fairer guidelines for NBS implementation. For this purpose, the project will conduct a thorough assessment, grounded on a transdisciplinary approach and critical analysis. Constituting a well-oiled network of citizens, local governments, scientific institutions and civil society-based partners which acts across borders, disciplines and sectors, TRANS-lighthouses will lead research on activities aiming to implement socioeconomic and political changes capable of enabling pathways for a socially and ecologically just implementation of NBS. TRANS-lighthouses integrates a network of NBS lighthouses for urban, rural, coastal and forested areas in 10 EU countries and 6 non-EU.

NBS Lighthouses are:
● local/regional arrangements/platforms bringing together multiple actors;
● to enhance the NBS contributions to social and economic targets;
● to test new governance and co-creation models;
● to adequate NBS responses to different socio-political contexts;
● small-scale but big-picture projects than can be upscaled over time.

Expected output: designing economically and socially fairer guidelines for NBS implementation.

TRANS-Lighthouses is an acronym:
T – Transformative
R – Reflexive
A – Activist
N – Networked
S – Solutions
Lighthouses – shedding light on just and equitable practices to guide the way forwards

ICLD’s role in primarily in the governance and co-creation dimension, aiming to unveil and understand the governance and co-creation context, including under-researched actors, sectors and landscapes, agendas, rules and interactions; to design innovative governance models, towards community-based decisions; and to co-monitor and co-evaluate. We host Local Democracy Labs, and our deliverables will include policy briefs, learning cases and animated videos.

Partners

  1. Centre for Social Studies (CES) Portugal
  2. Roskilde University (RUC) Denmark
  3. Technical University of Munich (TUM) Germany
  4. The Cyprus Institute (CyI) Cyprus
  5. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) France
  6. Nantes Université (NU) (Affiliated to CNRS) France
  7. Université Gustave Eiffel (uni. Eiffel) (Affiliated to CNRS) France
  8. University of Louvain (UCLouvain) Belgium
  9. Sapienza, Università di Roma (Sapienza) Italy
  10. University of Extremadura (UEx) Spain
  11. Universidade dos Açores (UAc) Portugal
  12. ATHENA Research Centre (ARC) Greece
  13. Economias BioRegionales (EBR) Spain
  14. Município de Estarreja (CME) Portugal
  15. Município de Barcelos (CMB) Portugal
  16. Ville de Bruxelles – Stad Brussel (Brussels) Belgium
  17. Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (ICLD) Sweden
  18. Associazione Jangada Onlus (Jangada) Italy
  19. Cooperativa de Incubação de Iniciativas de Economia Solidária (Kairós) Portugal

Associated partners

  1. Universidad de Chile Chile
  2. Universidad de Buenos Aires Argentina
  3. Universidade de Brasília Brazil
  4. Prefeitura de São Paulo Brazil
  5. Tata Institute of social sciences India
  6. University of Illinois USA
  7. University of Dar es Salaam Tanzania
  8. Polycom Development Project, Kenya
  9. Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, Brazil

This is an EU-funded project under call HORIZON-CL6-2022-COMMUNITIES-01 (Resilient, inclusive, healthy and green rural, coastal and urban communities)

Projektområde
Environment/Climate changeInclusive leadership and governance
Globala mål
11 - Sustainable cities and communities13 - Climate action
Tema
Participatory democracy, citizen dialogues and budgeting

TRANS-Lighthouses

Regional Focus: Europe

Time: May 2023-2026

ICLD is part of a consortium of European organizations to undertake a large-scale research project on inclusive nature-based solutions (NBS).

Abstract:

TRANS-lighthouses aims to gather evidence on material and immaterial results of NBS in order to rethink and reframe the main elements that compose the complexity of creating social and ecologically just NBS. More than a driving process, the collaborative work on planning and making NBS functional might stimulate a more concerted response towards environmental and climate crises, increasing the commitment of different stakeholders and upscaling their own spheres of action. TRANS-lighthouses adopts a nonlinear perspective and opens up space for the adoption of a fluid and organic position that is able to integrate the diversity of subjects, institutions, knowledge(s), practices and values. TRANS-lighthouses’ ambition is to become a European reference on sociopolitical challenges for supporting NBS projects and solutions. The socio-politics dimension will be part of the public agenda for NBS towards SYSTEMIC CHANGE. This ambition will be achieved by assessing the benefits and limitations of NBS co-creation that have already been implemented and designed, tested and disseminated economically and socially fairer guidelines for NBS implementation. For this purpose, the project will conduct a thorough assessment, grounded on a transdisciplinary approach and critical analysis. Constituting a well-oiled network of citizens, local governments, scientific institutions and civil society-based partners which acts across borders, disciplines and sectors, TRANS-lighthouses will lead research on activities aiming to implement socioeconomic and political changes capable of enabling pathways for a socially and ecologically just implementation of NBS. TRANS-lighthouses integrates a network of NBS lighthouses for urban, rural, coastal and forested areas in 10 EU countries and 6 non-EU.

NBS Lighthouses are:
● local/regional arrangements/platforms bringing together multiple actors;
● to enhance the NBS contributions to social and economic targets;
● to test new governance and co-creation models;
● to adequate NBS responses to different socio-political contexts;
● small-scale but big-picture projects than can be upscaled over time.

Expected output: designing economically and socially fairer guidelines for NBS implementation.

TRANS-Lighthouses is an acronym:
T – Transformative
R – Reflexive
A – Activist
N – Networked
S – Solutions
Lighthouses – shedding light on just and equitable practices to guide the way forwards

ICLD’s role in primarily in the governance and co-creation dimension, aiming to unveil and understand the governance and co-creation context, including under-researched actors, sectors and landscapes, agendas, rules and interactions; to design innovative governance models, towards community-based decisions; and to co-monitor and co-evaluate. We host Local Democracy Labs, and our deliverables will include policy briefs, learning cases and animated videos.

Partners

  1. Centre for Social Studies (CES) Portugal
  2. Roskilde University (RUC) Denmark
  3. Technical University of Munich (TUM) Germany
  4. The Cyprus Institute (CyI) Cyprus
  5. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) France
  6. Nantes Université (NU) (Affiliated to CNRS) France
  7. Université Gustave Eiffel (uni. Eiffel) (Affiliated to CNRS) France
  8. University of Louvain (UCLouvain) Belgium
  9. Sapienza, Università di Roma (Sapienza) Italy
  10. University of Extremadura (UEx) Spain
  11. Universidade dos Açores (UAc) Portugal
  12. ATHENA Research Centre (ARC) Greece
  13. Economias BioRegionales (EBR) Spain
  14. Município de Estarreja (CME) Portugal
  15. Município de Barcelos (CMB) Portugal
  16. Ville de Bruxelles – Stad Brussel (Brussels) Belgium
  17. Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy (ICLD) Sweden
  18. Associazione Jangada Onlus (Jangada) Italy
  19. Cooperativa de Incubação de Iniciativas de Economia Solidária (Kairós) Portugal

Associated partners

  1. Universidad de Chile Chile
  2. Universidad de Buenos Aires Argentina
  3. Universidade de Brasília Brazil
  4. Prefeitura de São Paulo Brazil
  5. Tata Institute of social sciences India
  6. University of Illinois USA
  7. University of Dar es Salaam Tanzania
  8. Polycom Development Project, Kenya
  9. Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, Brazil

This is an EU-funded project under call HORIZON-CL6-2022-COMMUNITIES-01 (Resilient, inclusive, healthy and green rural, coastal and urban communities)

Projektområde
Environment/Climate changeInclusive leadership and governance
Globala mål
11 - Hållbara städer och samhällen13 - Bekämpa klimatförändringarna
Tema
Participatory democracy, citizen dialogues and budgeting