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GAIAEA 24/4, 217– 288 (2015)
ÖKOMODERNISMUS UND ETHIK
WELFARE WITH OR WITHOUT GROWTH?
REGIONAL VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS
ECOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES FOR SCIENCE AND SOCIETY
ÖKOLOGISCHE PERSPEKTIVEN FÜR WISSENSCHAFT UND GESELLSCHAFT
4|2015
ECOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES FOR SCIENCE AND SOCIETY 24/4(2015): 217– 288
ÖKOMODERNISMUS UND ETHIK |WELFARE WITH OR WITHOUT GROWTH? |REGIONAL VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS
Erhältlich im Buchhandel oder versandkostenfrei
innerhalb Deutschlands bestellbar unter www.oekom.de Die guten Seiten der Zukunft
E wie Erkenntnisgewinn
Die wissenschaftliche Disziplin der Humanökologie untersucht Wirkungszusammenhän-
ge und Interaktionen zwischen Gesellschaft, Mensch und Umwelt. Die Autoren und
Autorinnen untersuchen, wie die Humanökologie von systemtheoretischen Ansätzen
profitieren kann – und stellen so neue Verknüpfungen zwischen eher isoliert stehenden
Erkenntnisbereichen her. An zahlreichen Beispielen zeigen sie, wie systemtheoretische Ansätze
die Humanökologie bereichern können.
K.-H. Simon, F. Tretter (Hrsg.)
Systemtheorien und Humanökologie
Positionsbestimmungen in Theorie und Praxis
344 Seiten, 39,95 EUR, ISBN 978-3-86581-772-3
Z wie Ziele
Wir ernähren uns nicht von Rohprodukten, sondern meist von zubereiteten Mahlzeiten – und wir essen
fast immer in Gemeinschaft. Trotzdem werden die sozialkommunikativen und kulturellen Dimensionen
der Ernährung viel zu selten berücksichtigt. Der hier vorgestellte human- und kulturökologische Ansatz
tut genau dies und bezieht neben Fragen zur Umwelt, der Qualität unserer Nahrung und der Arbeits-
teilung auch Ernährungssicherheit und Geschlechterperspektiven mit ein.
P. Teherani-Krönner, B. Hamburger (Hrsg.)
Mahlzeitenpolitik
Zur Kulturökologie von Ernährung und Gender
254 Seiten, 34,95 EUR, ISBN 978-3-86581-688-7
E wie Ernährungssouveränität
Bei Ernährung denken wir zuerst ans Essen. Dies greift jedoch vor dem Hintergrund ökologischer
und sozialer Herausforderungen oft viel zu kurz. Die Autoren nehmen daher die emotionale Seite der
Nahrungsaufnahme ebenso wie die sozialen Aspekte der Ernährung in den Blick. Beispielhaft zeigen
sie anhand kleinbäuerlicher (Bio-)Landwirtschaft in den Tropen Lösungswege aus der globalen Ernäh-
rungskrise auf.
K. Egger, S. Pucher (Hrsg.)
Was uns nährt, was uns trägt
Humanökologische Orientierung zur Welternährung
312 Seiten, 39,95 EUR, ISBN 978-3-86581-319-0
Nachhaltigkeit
A–Z
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http://dx.doi.org/10 .14512/gaia.24.4.17
281COMMUNICATIONS |MITTEILUNGEN
very research. This merger is not without
challenges: while stated laboratory settings
operate within societal settings and neces -
sarily adapt their proceedings to the given
contexts, actors and problems, the very no -
tion of the laboratory comes with the prom-
ise of generating transferable and general -
izable knowledge. Thus, there are numer-
ous open questions including terminolo-
gies and concepts, concrete methodologies
as well as epistemological foundations.
©2015 N. Schäpke et al.;licensee oekom verlag. This is an article
distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution
License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0),which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is properly cited.
Contact authors: Dipl.-Ökon.,Dipl.-Umwelt wissen -
schaftler Niko Schäpke |Leuphana University of
Lüneburg |Institut für Ethik und Transdisziplinäre
Nachhaltigkeitsforschung |Lüneburg |Germany |
E-Mail: niko.schaepke@leuphana.de
Contact NaWis: Prof. Dr.Uwe Schneidewind |
Wuppertal Institut for Climate, Environment and
Energy |Döppersberg 19 |42103 Wuppertal |
Germany |Tel.: +49 2022492100 |
E-Mail: uwe.schneidewind@wupperinst.org |
www.wupperinst.org
n recent years, numerous science-society
collaborations have been developed that
are experimenting with solutions to sus-
tainability problems in real-world settings
(Trencher et al.2014).These initiatives usu -
ally aim at radical changes from the status
quo, in process and outputs (Evans and Kar-
vonen 2014). Fields of application as well
as labels of initiatives are varying, with ex-
amples including food production (e.g.,Vic-
torian Eco Innovation Lab, Australia), ener -
gy consumption (e.g., Campus as a Living
Laboratory, Canada), urban living (e.g., Low
Carbon Labs, Sweden) and mobility (e.g.,
Delft Design Labs, The Netherlands)(Lued -
eritz et al. submitted).
The sketched developments are part of
broader trends in sustainability research
towards a solution-oriented research agen-
da (Miller et al.2014), a pragmatist turn(Po -
pa et al. 2015) and a re-orientation towards
experimental approaches (Schneidewind
2014). As part of this development, a new
generation of experimental settings, such
as living laboratories (e.g., Voytenko et al.
2015),urban (sustainability)transition labs
(e. g., Loorbach and Rotmans 2010,Wiek
and Kay 2015,Wittmayer et al. 2014) as well
as real-world laboratories (e.g.,Wagner and
Grunwald 2015) is proposed for research in
and with society. Despite their differences,
the settings share a focus on interventions
in real-world contexts undertaken by stake-
holders in transdisciplinary collaboration
with scientists. Furthermore, they share a
double aim of understanding and at the
same time contributing to societal change
towards sustainability (see Schneidewind
2013). Accordingly, they are research en-
deavors, meaning they produce evidence
regarding possible solutions to given sus-
tainability problems (Wiek and Kay 2015)
and at thesame time pursue a transforma -
tional mission and therefore apply solu-
tions in an exemplary way (Voytenko et al.
2015).
Methodologically stated settings can
be understood as an attempt to merge the
strength of experimental laboratory situa -
tions with the integration of research into
real-world contexts, offering the possibil-
ity to learn about changes induced by the
>
Creating Space for Change:
Real-world Laboratories for
Sustainability Transformations
The Case of Baden-Württemberg
In the face of persistent
sustain ability problems
challenging economic development,
ecological integrity as well as
social justice, transformational
changes are crucial.
Proposed changes shall include,
for instance, large-scale transitions of practices, infrastructures
as well as values and priorities. In Germany, real-world laboratories
are proposed for research in and with society,aiming to
understand and contribute to transformations.
Niko Schäpke, Mandy Singer-Brodowski,
Franziska Stelzer, Matthias Bergmann,
Daniel J. Lang
Creating Space for Change: Real-world Laboratories for Sustainability Transformations. The Case of Baden-Württemberg
GAIA 24/4(2015): 281–283 |Keywords: real-world laboratories, research policy, sustainability transformations, sustainability transitions, transdisciplinarity
I
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282 NaWis – Verbund für Nachhaltige WissenschaftCOMMUNICATIONS |MITTEILUNGEN
With thisinitiative,Baden-Württemberg
creates a fruitful environment for new re-
search collaborations betweenuniversities
and non-academic actors.While the fund-
ing program has a regional scope, the actu -
al projects are of much wider interest, as
they represent a first systematic attempt
to explore the notion and concept of Ger-
man real-world laboratories. Baden-Würt-
temberg follows an experimental strategy
oriented towards the very idea of a (real-
world) laboratory. Providing the labs with
considerable space for realizing their re-
search is both appreciated by the partici-
pating universities and their partners as
well as foundational for realizing the ex-
perimental setting of the labs itself.
The table gives an overview of the labo-
ratories of the first funding line which are
situated in diverse contexts of application,
sharing a focus on transformational pro -
cess es towards sustainability. This diversi -
ty corresponds to the aim of exploring the
new research setting and promises learn-
ing from multiple application contexts.
As the program is pioneering within
Germany, the funded projects are confront-
ed with a twofold challenge: first, to create
transformational knowledge and there-
with to support societal change in the dif-
ferent areas of investigation. And second,
the labs need to fill the very concept of real-
world laboratories with life.
Accompanying Research and Outlook
The labs are supported by an accompany-
ing research consisting of two projects: one
at the University of Basel, Research Group
Inter-/Transdisciplinarity2, a second formed
by Leuphana University of Lüneburg, the
ISOE – Institute for Social-Ecological Re-
search and the Wuppertal Institute for Cli -
mate, Envi ronment and Energy3. Jointly
and in close co-opera tion with the labora-
tories, these projects pursue two aims:
Systematic explorations and comparisons
of different and more in-depth studies of
single laboratory settings are a demand.
Developments in Germany: “Reallabore”
and Real-world Laboratories
In the German-speaking discourse on
sustainability research the concept of real-
world laboratories (“Reallabore” in Ger-
man) has gained popularity. A shared un-
derstanding of real-world laboratories does
not yet exist, rather there are a number of
partially overlapping understandings (cp.
MWK 2013, WBGU 2014, Schneidewind
2014, De Flander et al. 2014, Wagner and
Grunwald 2015). In addition, the concrete
relation of real-world laboratories to re-
search settings and approaches, such as
other stated labs and (natural science) lab-
oratory research, action research or trans-
disciplinary research, is not yet sufficient-
ly understood.
In face of multiple expectations and giv-
en conceptual openness, numerous ques-
tions arise: what constitutes a real-world
laboratory? How to cope with the “contra-
diction in terms” of a laboratory in the real
world? What is theadded value incompar-
ison to established settings?
An Experimental Research Policy
The federal state of Baden-Württemberg in-
stitutionalized research in real-world lab-
oratories with a substantial funding pro-
gram running from 2015 until 2017. In do -
ing so, the state government followed the
advice of an expert commission on how to
further strengthen research for sustain -
abil ity. In a broad participatory process the
commission assessed existing research ini-
tiatives in the field of sustainability on be-
half of the Minister for Science, Research
and Culture, Theresia Bauer. An indepen -
dent expert panel selected seven out of 32
applications that started in spring 20151.
1. To support and interconnect the real-
world laboratories with regard to facili -
tating the implementation process, mu-
tual learning, developing transferable
insights and embedding the labs into
national and international networks.
2. Gaining insights on real-world labora-
tory processes, in particular with regard
to applied methods, quality features
and transdisciplinary knowledge inte-
gration.
Developing the setting of the laboratories
further requires mutual learning from em-
pirical experiences as well as conceptual
discussions. Therefore a number of activ-
ities will be undertaken by the ministry,
the labs and the accompanying research
projects, such as a colloquium with (inter -
national) experts and practitioners in spring
2016. One major public event will be the In -
ternational Sustainability Transitions Confer -
ence 2016.4
MORE INFORMATION:
http://nachhaltigewissenschaft.de/category/themen/
reallabore
We thank the MWK Baden-Württemberg for
funding the research leading to this article.
We thank the researchers and practitioners from
the real-world laboratories of the first funding line
for providing information on the very laboratories
(see table)and Antonietta Di Giulio and Rico Defila
from the Basel-based accompanying research
team for their comments on an earlier version of
this article.
References
De Flander, K. et al. 2014. Resilience and real-life
laboratories as key concepts for urban
transition research. GAIA 23/3: 284 –286.
Evans, J., A. Karvonen. 2014. “Give me a laboratory
and I will lower your carbon footprint!” –
Urban laboratories and the governance of
lowcarbon futures. International Journal of
Urban and Regional Research 38/2: 413– 430.
Liedtke, C., C. Baedeker, M. Hasselkuß, H. Rohn,
V. Grinewitschus. 2015. User-integrated innova-
tion in sustainable LivingLabs: An experimental
Developing the setting of the laboratories
further requires mutual learning from empirical
experiences and conceptualdiscussions.
1 A second funding line focusing real-world
laboratories in urban contexts was issued in
Baden-Württemberg,and proposals selected in
October 2015 are currently starting:
www.reallabore-bw.de.
2http://bit.ly/1QmT6y4
3http://bit.ly/1SbsvVi
4http://wupperinst.org/en/info/details/wi/a/s/
ad/3253
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283COMMUNICATIONS |MITTEILUNGENNaWis – Verbund für Nachhaltige Wissenschaft
infrastructure for researching and developing
sustainable product service systems.
Journal of Cleaner Production 97: 106–116.
Loorbach, D., J. Rotmans. 2010. The practice of
transition management: Examples and lessons
from four distinct cases. Futures 42: 237–246.
Luederitz, C. et al. Submitted. Joint learning through
evaluation: A tentative evaluative scheme
for sustainability transition experiments.
Environmental Innovation and Societal Change.
Miller, T., A. Wiek, D. Sarewitz, L. Olsson, D. Kriebel,
D. Loorbach. 2014. The future of sustainability
science: A solutions-oriented agenda.
Sustainability Science 9/2: 239–246.
MWK (Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung
und Kunst Baden-Württemberg). 2013. Wissen -
schaft für Nachhaltigkeit. Herausforderung und
Chance für das baden-württembergische Wissen -
schaftssystem. Stuttgart: MWK.
Popa, F., M. Guillermin, T. Dedeurwaerdere. 2015.
A pragmatist approach to transdisciplinarity in
sustainability research: From complex systems
theory to reflexive science. Futures 65: 45– 56.
Schneidewind, U. 2013. Transformative Literacy.
Gesellschaftliche Veränderungsprozesse
verstehen und gestalten. GAIA 22/2: 82– 86.
Schneidewind, U. 2014. Urbane Reallabore –
ein Blick in die aktuelle Forschungswerkstatt.
pnd online 3: 1–7. www.planung-neu-denken.de/
images/stories/pnd/dokumente/3_2014/
schneidewind.pdf (abgerufen 03.11.2015).
Trencher, G., X. Bai, J. Evans, K. McCormick,
M. Yarime. 2014. University partnerships
for co-designing and co-producing urban
sustainability. Global Environmental Change 28:
153–165.
Voytenko, Y., K. McCormick, J. Evans, G. Schliwa.
2015. Urban living labs for sustainability and
low carbon cities in Europe: Towards a research
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Wagner, F., A. Grunwald. 2015. Reallabore als
Forschungs-und Transformationsinstrument.
Die Quadratur des hermeneutischen Zirkels.
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SHORT PROFILE
The laboratory analyzes and evaluates the ecological, social and economic interrelations be-
tween the newly founded Black Forest National Park and the surrounding region with regard to
a regional transformation towards sustainability. Stakeholders from business, politics and civil
society are actively involved in the research. Building on analysis and evaluation, researchers
and stakeholders will develop and implement options for concrete actions.
The current transformation of Heidelberg can be experienced in many neighborhoods of the
city. The city administration and the international Bauaustellung are aware of the challenges
posed by these developments. The laboratory contributes to questions of demographic change,
participatory city planning, actor constellations for concrete projects as well as new forms of
communicating and understanding ongoing changes.
The Urban Transition Lab131fosters sustainable development of one district of Karlsruhe, ad-
dressing a broad spectrum of sustainability issues. By way of an extended citizen forum, topics
and projects have been selected and are now being realized in transdisciplinary co-operations.
For these projects, the lab offers a transdisciplinary infrastructure of a local “sustainability
science shop”, an overarching knowledge base, as well as integrated teaching and networking
activities.
University, city and the region of Stuttgart are used as field of action, concrete laboratory space
and experimental platform for the exploration and development of visions and practices of a
sustainable mobility culture. Civil society actors are involved as co-researchers in this knowl-
edge generation process, the generation of research data and the development of scenarios
and pilot projects.
The project links two perspectives in one real-world laboratory: the sustainable urban revitaliza-
tion of Dietenheim, once home to a strong textile industry, with the transformation of the textile
supply chain towards sustainability. Currently vacant areas in the inner city of Dietenheim will
be used by enterprises and further actors of the Dietenheim textile industry to create a trans-
parent supply chain that can be experienced locally. Thereby impulses for changed textile con-
sumption patterns shall be created.
Climate neutrality of the inner city campus of the HFT Stuttgart shall be achieved via develop-
ing a comprehensive implementation strategy, debated amongst actors from the campus,
the neighborhood and the metropolitan region of Stuttgart and realized in exemplary manner
financed by a public administration body (Landesbetrieb Vermögen Bau)and private capital.
Developments of recent decades have shown that in regions of urban growth like Stuttgart
building spaces and usable floor spaces are increasing, while the actual density of usage is de-
clining. Against this background the project aims to (spatially)combine various forms of using
the current building stock to increase the efficiency of usage of buildings in urban centers.
TABLE: Real-world laboratories in Baden-Württemberg. Source: https://mwk.baden-wuerttemberg.de/fileadmin/redaktion/m-mwk/intern/dateien/Anlagen_PM/
2014/084_PM_Anlage_Gefoerderte_Reallabore.pdf (own translation, modified).
SUBMITTED BY
University of Freiburg/
University of Applied
Forest Sciences
Rottenburg
University of
Heidelberg
Karlsruhe Institute of
Technology (KIT)
University of Stuttgart
Ulm University/
Reutlingen University
University of Applied
Sciences Stuttgart
(HFT Stuttgart)
Public Academy of
Fine Arts Stuttgart
TITLE
Knowledge Dialogue Northern
Black Forest: The National
Park as a Catalyst for a
Regional Sustainability
Transformation
“Urban Office”: Sustainable
Development of Cities in the
Knowledge Society
Urban Transition Lab131:
KIT Meets the City
Future City Lab_Stuttgart:
Real-world Laboratory for a
Sustainable Mobility Culture
Sustainable Transformation
of the Textile Industry at
Location Dietenheim
EnSign Real-world Laboratory:
The Climate Neutral Uni -
versity as a Partner for the
Region
Space Sharing: Use-intensifi-
cation of the Building Stock
via Combining Usage Forms
281_283_NaWis 10.12.15 20:22 Seite 283
