The document discusses transitions to more sustainable societies. It describes transitions as fundamental changes in dominant regimes that are long-term and unmanageable processes that require new forms of governance. The MUSIC project aims to catalyze and mainstream carbon reduction in five cities by developing a transition management strategy and geospatial energy information system. The process involves information-based transition processes that visualize transition scenarios and assess potential problems and perspectives to move cities toward more sustainable futures.

1. The new way to transition your city
Derk Loorbach
Drift, Erasmus University
Climate in Energy Transition, 21-11-2012

3. Persistent unsustainability
• Global changes cause pressure
▫ Globalisation, geopolitice, climate change, resource
issues, demographic change
• Our current societal systems are destabilising
▫ Energy supply, housing, social services, mobility,
health care
• We are living in transitional times
▫ non-linearity, uncertainties and unpredictability
(Rotmans et al, 2001)
▫ Overshoot day: august 22 (1981: dec. 11)
▫ Budget deficits: 3% vs ecological deficit: 35%

4. Dutch
Researc
h
Institute
For
Transiti
ons

5. Transitions?
• A recurring pattern of societal change
• A possibility for rapid shifts towards sustainability
• A conceptual model to structure societal
innovation, past, present and future
 A tool for social construction: if you think it
they will come (or not…)

6. Transition pattern
Sustainable
society?
predevelopment
take-off
acceleration
stabilisation
Based on Rotmans et al, 2001

7. Transitions are…
• A fundamental change in dominant
regimes
– Culture, structure, practice
• Long-term, unmanageable processes
– But can be influenced
• Require new forms of governance
– Coordinated self-organisation

8. society
Transition arenaRegular policy arena
- Short term
- Peloton
- Incremental change
- Problem- and goal oriented
- Long term
- Change agents
- System-innovation
- Problem- and goal searching
Transition arenas

9. Transitions are about finding…
• …a new way of thinking
• … a new way of working
• …a new way of planning
• …a new way of organising
• …a new development pathway

10. The MUSIC project

11. Aberdeen
Ghent
Montreuil
Rotterdam
Ludwigsburg
Mitigation in Urban Areas,
Solutions for Innovative Cities
5 local governments search for
pathways to a low carbon
future
Supported by two knowledge
institutions: CRP Henri Tudor
(LUX), DRIFT (NL)

12. MUSIC Objectives
• Overall aim: catalyze and mainstream carbon and energy
reduction in urban policies, activities and the build
environment.
• Objectives:
▫ Mobilising stakeholders to take action towards CO2 reduction -
development of a transnationally applicable Transition
Management Strategy.
▫ Integrating ‘Energy’ in urban planning and enable monitoring of
effects - development of a Geospatial Urban Energy
Information and Support System.
▫ More effective energy reduction measures in cities: learning by
doing in innovative pilots that put the developed strategies
and tools into practice in different national contexts.
12

13. Transition
Networks
Transition
Experiments
Transition
Arena
Phase III
Framing the transition
Phase IV
Envisioning a
sustainable city
Phase V
Reconnecting long term
& short term
Phase VI
Going into
action
Transition
Team
Phase I
Setting the
scene
Phase II
Exploring
dynamics
Phase VII
Engaging &
anchoring

14. PROCESS
• Information based transition process
• Visualising and quantifying transition
scenarios and visions
• Assessing potential, problems and
perspectives

15. reduced
demand
residual heat
solar
supply
wind
geothermal
2025
FUTURE
situation
10.209
12.240
9.026
9.692
electricity
GJ/jr wind
(50% of a single turbine)
GJ/yr roof PV
(25% of available roofs)
heat
GJ/yr residual
GJ/yr geothermal
(33% of available heat)
demand
22.449
18.718
GJ/yr electricity
GJ/yr heat
result
1.071
76
ton/yr CO2
% reduction
+

16. The road ahead

17. Major challenges
• Transitioning policy and organisations
• Building up capacity for transition
• Shifting from frontrunners to mainstream

18. MUSIC delivers
• New strategies and tools for transition
– Tested and refined in 5 different cities
– Harvesting information, arena, experiments
• Concrete examples of urban sustainability
transitions
– Pilots, agenda’s, events, activities, initiatives

20. 20 culturele
organisaties
> 100.000
bezoekers
Transitie
UGent
38.000
studenten
7.100 staf
Onderzoek
biogas uit
GFT
Mobiliteitsarena
938 mobbers
Begeleidingstraject KMO’s
KLIMAAT-
ARENA
Inspiratie
partijprogramma’s
Klimaatwerkgroep
stadslandbouw
KWG EE in bedrijven
KWG valorisatie rioolwater en GFT
KWG Kunstsector
KWG mobiliteit
KWG consument duwt markt
Onderzoek
ESCO’s (in
opstart)
CEIP meets
GMS

21. Enjoy (the) MUSIC and be
inspired!
For more information:
www.themusicproject.eu
www.drift.eur.nl
loorbach@drift.eur.nl