Urban Sustainability Transitions in Two Frontrunner Cities: Insights from the Multi-level Perspective

Abstract

Research on urban sustainability has extended our understanding of what principles cities can apply to minimize their impacts on the global ecosystem. However, how urban sustainability transitions unfold and how location-specific characteristics in different territorial contexts impact transition processes have been previously addressed only to limited extent. Drawing on relevant transition theory (in this case the Multi-level Perspective), this paper examines the underlying drivers, opportunities, and barriers to sustainability transitions in cities. The analysis draws on two case studies from both the developed (Freiburg) and the developing world (Curitiba). We argue that cities have fundamentally different endowments and inherent characteristics; therefore, policy dealing with urban transitions should be responsive to the specific requirements of its application domain.