University of Kiel, Germany Regional Geography of Southern Europe, B.Sc. Geography

1. Lecture 1 - Introduction: economic geography and its recent paradigms
Regional
Geography
of Southern
Europe
WS 2021-2022
Lecture 10 of 11
26-01-2022

2. Structure of
the course
1) Introduction to regional geography and the focal study region
2) Regional geography of Southern Europe: differences and uniqueness
3) The territorial governance of Southern Europe
4) Spatial planning (including SSP) and planning systems of Southern Europe
5) The economic geography of Southern Europe
6) The economic geography of Southern Europe, continuation
7) EU Integration, Cohesion Policy, Funding and Main Policies
8) Research and development in Southern Europe (12/01/2022)
9) The social dimension of cross-border relations across SE (19/01/2022)
10) Sustainability transitions, grand societal challenges and missions (26/01/2022)
11) Sustainability examples and regional futures in Southern Europe (02/02/2022)
Lectures Regional Geography of Southern Europe

3. Joining a collective endeavor towards
equitable, sustainable, post fossil-carbon regional futures

4. The success of multidisciplinary approaches to address
sustainability challenges largely depends on the compatibility
between the research stances of the researchers involved.
(Jabareen, 2011)
A research stance – is the strategy used to deal with an
indeterminate phenomenon (your mini-essay), and influences
choices at all steps in knowledge production, such as defining a
problem in scientific terms or selecting methods.
Collective endeavor towards future
(Hazard et al. 2020)

5. https://www.16personalities.com/

6. Climate change and environmental degradation have increased the risks
of:
Humanity is on a dangerous trajectory
Extreme weather events
Food system failures
Biodiversity loss, and
Geopolitical instability.
Humanity must change its practices, quickly and strategically. A
sustainability transition leveraging the efforts of private
companies, governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs),
community organizations, philanthropic foundations, academia,
trade unions, — is required.
(Lambin et al. 2020)

7. Towards the future > a sustainable future
a
Southern
Europe
joining EU
a
Post-crisis

8. Transition towards sustainable practices, whether large or
small, can have significant impacts in the long run.
Sustainable development as
long-term process, with strategic
objectives effecting regional
geographies worldwide

9. Defining sustainable development (SD)
1983-87:
Brundtland Commission
Economic development at the cost of
ecological health and social equity did not
lead to long-lasting prosperity.
It was clear that the world needed to find
a way to harmonize ecology with
economic growth and prosperity.
After four years, the “Brundtland
Commission” released its final report,
Our Common Future.
It famously defines sustainable
development as:
(Source, 1987)

10. Defining sustainable development (SD)
to meet the needs and aspirations of the
present without compromising the ability to
meet those of the future.
recognizes that societal challenges of poverty
and uneven development cannot be solved
unless we have a new era of growth in which
low-income countries play a large role and
obtain benefits.
(Source, 1987)

11. Objectives of SD
(Elliott, 2012)

12. Some consider geography to greatly contribute to
sustainable development debates given its ability to
marry the science of the environment with an
understanding of economic, political, and cultural
change, that is, development.
Multi, Intra and Transdisciplinary SD
Sustainable development is multidisciplinary concept in
its nature and is covered by various disciplines.
(Elliott, 2012)
(Jabareen, 2011)
Greater intra- and tans-disciplinary work, including
between geographers is considered essential for
understanding and engaging in the challenges of SD.
(Elliott, 2009)

13. Keywords to keep in mind > transitions >
innovative behavior > techno-economic paradigms
(Hayter, 2008)
Why we need this?

14. Health, demographic change and
wellbeing
Grand Societal Challenges
Food security, sustainable
agriculture and forestry, marine
and maritime and inland water
management, and the Bioeconomy
Clean and energy efficient societies
(Europe 2020)
Ecological and integrated
transportation
Planning, housing accessibility
and affordability

15. Climate action, environment,
resource efficiency and raw
materials
Grand Societal Challenges
Inclusive, diverse, innovative and
reflective societies
Secure societies –
protecting freedom of expression
and security of citizens
(Europe 2020)
Global migration patterns

16. Challenges and regional societies and economies
(Westkämper, 2014)

17. (Westkämper, 2014)
Challenges and regional societies and economies

18. Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals
27 September 2015, UN member states will
formally adopt the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) as key
elements of the post-2015 development
agenda, successors to the eight Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs).
Source
Agenda 2030 is an action plan for
people, planet and prosperity.
It also seeks to strengthen universal peace.
Shift the world onto a sustainable and resilient path
Detailed objectives of Agenda 2030

19. Agenda 2030 > action plan for people and planet
17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets
::People::
end poverty and hunger
fulfil their potential in dignity and equality
::Planet::
protect the planet from degradation,
including through sustainable consumption and production
::Prosperity::
human beings can enjoy prosperous and fulfilling lives and
that economic, social and technological progress occurs in
harmony with nature.
::Peace::
foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies which are free
from fear and violence – respect towards labour force.
::Partnership::
focused on the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable
and with the participation of all countries, all stakeholders
(economic players) and all people.

20. Source
Source

21. Source
Source

22. Source
Source

23. Reducing the physical distance
production and consumption,
technological innovations and
new infrastructures
Establishing direct links
with consumers
Adding value to
local resources
Developing appropriate
communication strategies (Horlings et al 2020; Brunori and Galli, 2016)
Transition in
discourse and
practices from the
global to local
Agenda 2030 > sustainability transitions

24. Small wins approach
as a new governance
strategy to deal grand
societal problems
Bours et al. 2021
Accelerating
bottom-up initiatives
guided by
a shared mission.
Adding value to local resources

25. Integrating solutions to adapt
territories for climate change
Lin et al. 2021

26. Business as usual

27. In recent years, governments, NGOs, pressure groups
across the globe have developed environmentally
friendly plans to curb the economic and ecological
crisis. Broad societal and industrial transformations
should accelerate and widen in scope sustainable
modes of production and consumption.
Moving forward
(Markard et al 2020; Coenen & Truffer, 2012)
Sustainability transitions
a major opportunity (?)

28. Conditions for sustainability transitions
Governance dimension
Geographical
dimension
Socio-
technical
dimension
Co-evolution of
new technologies,
small niches
(satisfying specific
market needs)
(Coenen et al. 2015;
Smith et al., 2010)
Changes in
markets and
energy systems
Policy and cultural discourses & unavoidable interests

29. Sustainability transitions > research gaps
Governance dimension
Globally there is an emerging movement where
innovative, new sustainable solutions are being
experimented, shared, scaled and translated -
requiring >new approaches< to spatial/territorial
governance, to accelerate sustainability transitions
(Loorbach et al. 2016)

30. Sustainability transitions > research gaps
Geographical dimension
Questions concerning where sustainability
transitions take place and why have remained largely
off the radar in this otherwise increasing field of
studies. The where of STs?
(Coenen & Truffer, 2012)

31. Disentangle sustainability transitions
The need for a geographical dimension of
sustainability transitions (ST)
How do we define transitions ?

32. Transitions > from Latin transitionem
go or cross over
passage from one state, stage to another
evolution from one form to another
changeover
development
transformation
shift
realignment
turn
innovation game changer
redefining

33. Transitions are defined as the result of co-evolving processes in
economy, society, ecology, and technology that progressively build
up toward a revolutionary systemic change on the long term
(Rotmans et al. 2001; Frantzeskaki and de Haan 2009; Loorbach
2010).

34. Defining transitions
Transition as shifts or ‘system innovations’ between distinctive socio-
technical configurations encompassing new technologies but also
corresponding changes in markets, user practices, policy and cultural
discourses as well as governance configurations (Ehnert et al., 2018; Geels
et al., 2008).
Geels and Schot (2010) characterize transitions according to:
(1) co-evolution and multiple changes in socio-technical
systems
(2) multi-actor interactions between social groups including
firms, user groups, scientific communities, policy makers,
social movements and special interest groups,
(3) ‘radical’ change in terms of scope/nature of change (but
not speed – doing things differently, strategically)
(4) long-term processes over 40–50-year periods.

35. Defining transitions
Transitions typically unfold over distinct phases including:
Pre-formation / Start-up > formation of
new niche technologies / discovery
Acceleration > upscaling and massive
diffusion of those core technologies
(Geels and Schot 2010)
Example > in the case of energy transitions,
renewable energy technologies that help
achieve key environmental goals as
decarbonization (i.e., reduction or
elimination of carbon dioxide from energy
sources).
Stabilization > socio-technical
configuration stabilize

36. Most countries are still in the first two of these phases
which is also what research has been investigating
To address grand societal and sustainability challenges transitions
need to enter the acceleration phase.
Climate change > new tech
Food security > social inequality
High urbanization > densify/multi use/decarb
Biodiversity loss > nature conservation
(Markard et al 2020)

37. (Campbell et al 2018)
Transition within agriculture and food systems
The short- and long-term impacts need to be assessed

38. Transitions > sustainability transitions
Progress has been rather limited, because existing systems of provision and
consumption exhibit high degrees of inaction (Sachs et al 2019)
As a response: interdisciplinary field of research on ‘sustainability transitions’
emerged (Markard et al 2012).
Sustainability transitions are fundamental changes in socio-technical systems such
as energy, food or transport that aim to address grand challenges in a way that
meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs. (Geels 2011).
Sustainability transitions research investigates how radical innovations emerge,
struggle with incumbent/deeply rooted interests, and eventually lead to major
changes (Coenen et al 2011)

39. Current research within ST
Regional
geography

40. The MLP on socio-technical transitions >
From idea to market or practical application
Multi-Actor-Network paving the way towards sustainable futures
(Geels, 2002)

41. (Geels, 2002)
Multi-level dynamics
Transition

42. Hence, transitions are
An outcome of multidimensional
interactions between radical niche-
innovations, an regimes (e.g. governance
configurations) and external
factors/conditions (Verbong and Geels 2010)
Multiple levels as a nested hierarchy

43. Regional geography of sustainability
transitions

44. Key ingredients:
sustainability
transitions

45. Key ingredients: ST in cities and regions
(Lars Coenen)
Clear, well-defined processes and strategies
1) Go beyond entrepreneurial discovery and knowledge exploitation
2) Towards open-ended, inclusive experimentalism based on
socio-technical innovation and socio-ecological innovation
systems

46. Key ingredients: ST in cities and regions
(Lars Coenen)
Strong ‘experimentalism’ e.g., during COVID-19
Acuto et al 2020

47. Key ingredients: ST in cities and regions
(Lars Coenen)
Doing it with a purpose as strategically
1) Beyond growth poles and uneven development assessments
2) Social and ecological impact of transitions (not only economic)
3) Foundational Economy > a new way of thinking which challenges
mainstream ideas about what economic policy should be +
collective responsibility + slow innovation processes
(Barbera et al. 2020)
Policy integration
1) S3 to S4 > sustainable smart specialisation strategies
2) Governance experimentation but locally-based and embedded
3) Pop up innovation systems – (aligns with experimentalism)
4) Mission-oriented innovation policies
(Wanzenbock and Frenken 2020)

48. Key ingredients: acceleration of
sustainability transitions Markard et al 2020
Mission-oriented approach > addressing acceleration
Complementary interactions between multiple innovation
systems
In Germany, for example, there is a lack of transmission grid capacity
to transport electricity from wind parks in the North to the centers of
consumption further south, hampering the acceleration of the
renewable energy transition.
In electricity, the integration of renewable energies is a key issue in this
regard. Solar or wind require complementary storage technologies such as
batteries or hydropower to provide back-up capacity (co-evolution; R&D&I)
Overcoming tensions as interactions between different systems
intensify
For example, Norway, a country with an abundance of hydropower,
is pursuing a strategy to electrify transportation, heating and
industrial production for deep decarbonization. This may create
tensions, e.g., as different sectors compete for the same resource.
Examples
Examples

49. Key ingredients: acceleration of
sustainability transitions Markard et al 2020
Challenge-oriented approach > addressing acceleration challenges
Think strategically phase-out policies – integrated planning
Accomplish wider societal support for long-term sustainable transition
targets and to form broad constituencies of actors who are in favor of
the transition, e.g., as they benefit from jobs in clean-tech industry.
In Germany, for example, policymakers are helping regions suffering
from the decline of lignite mining by providing financial compensation,
establishing innovation parks (e.g., on energy efficiency), and supporting
new industries.
Focus on consumers and social practices
For instance, electric vehicles presently require changes in trip
planning and refueling practices.
Reducing levels of consumption is desirable but difficult.
Examples
Examples

50. Key ingredients: acceleration of
sustainability transitions Markard et al 2020
Reducing levels of consumption is desirable but difficult
….are important for sustainability reasons.
But such demand reductions are culturally and politically
challenging because consumption is closely related to social
norms (e.g., freedom; democratic principles) and
established practices around work, family and identity.
(Dubois et al 2019)
Climate policies targeting household consumption
and behavioral decisions are a challenge to be implemented

51. Relationship between acceptance and environmental
improvements of different consumer practice changes
(Dubois et al 2019)
The reduction of
consumption levels is
more challenging,
because policymakers
and environmentalists
are cautious about
lecturing consumers
about their lifestyles as
this may evoke
resistance, hinder
economic growth, or
threaten jobs.

52. Key ingredients: acceleration of
sustainability transitions Markard et al 2020
Governance > political power > lobbies
The acceleration of sustainability transitions is not only associated with
public policies that stimulate innovation or target decline, but also with
broader governance challenges
The European Commission, for instance, can formulate ambitious
visions (e.g., Energy Union, Circular Economy policies, Green Deal),
but has relatively limited financial resources (capped at 1% of
European GDP) to realize them.
Sustainability transitions require a shift from a neo-liberal policy
paradigm and hands-off policy style towards a more interventionist
approach with a stronger role for policymakers in shaping markets
stimulating innovation, launching effective, realistic missions, building
infrastructure, and regulating businesses.
(Roberts and Geels 2019).

53. Lecture 1 - Introduction: economic geography and its recent paradigms
Possible exam question
• How economic policymaking may accelerate transitions towards sustainability by
overcoming ‘transition failures’, with reference to policy integration and
experimentation?
• What economic actors (organizations; entrepreneurs; investors) as well as the public
sector can instigate a particular direction of change/transformation across multiple
sectors amidst political contestation, including facilitating phase-out of environmentally
unsustainable activities?
• How to deal with social backlashes/frictions against sustainability transition strategies

54. Mission oriented innovation policies
Source
This discussion aligns with

55. Mission-oriented innovation policies
Mission-oriented innovation policy responds to these
‘grand challenges’ by identifying and articulating concrete
problems that can galvanize production, distribution, and
consumption patterns across various sectors (reframing the
organization of the economic landscape)
✓ Economic growth has not only a rate (GDP value) but a direction
✓ Innovation requires investment and risk-taking by private and
public actors
✓ The State has a role in co-creating and shaping markets (e.g.,
Entrepreneurial State)
✓ Successful innovation policy combines the need to set
directions from above with the ability to enable bottom-up
experimentation and learning
✓ Missions may require consensus building in civil society. Source
Mazzucato 2018
In doing so it recognizes that:

56. Mission-oriented examples
German Energiewende
Focuses on concrete problems that
require system-wide transformation
across different sectors, and
involves partnerships
among multiple actors
(private, public, third sector, civil society)
Going to the moon required
innovation in aeronautics, robotics,
textiles, and nutrition etc. Mazzucato 2018

58. Mission-oriented policies that are aimed at achieving specific objectives
Mission-oriented innovation policies
Must enable bottom-up experimentation and learning,
so that the innovation process itself is nurtured through
dynamic feedback loops and serendipity (Rodrik, 2004)
Mission-oriented policies are not
just about throwing funds at
problems but
doing so in specific ways
(saving resources; valuing the local)
Mazzucato 2018

59. Mission-oriented innovation policies
Source see also Mission oriented
studies and reports
Source

60. Source
International map of selected missions

61. International map of selected missions

62. ✓ The active role being taken by governments and supranational organizations
to develop strategies for a greener economy can be seen through a mission-
oriented lens — as their aims are to improve wellbeing for an ageing
population, create better jobs (European Commission, 2011);
✓ In fact, these challenges — which can be environmental, demographic,
economic, or social — have entered innovation policy agendas as key
justifications for action, providing strategic direction for funding policies and
innovation efforts;
Mission-oriented policies can be defined as systemic public
policies that draw on frontier knowledge to attain goals
Source

63. A mission-oriented approach highlights the need to make a precise diagnosis
of the technological, sectoral, or national innovation system that a regional
innovation policy wishes to transform.
Mission-oriented policies as place-based
✓ Missions should be well defined. More granular definition of the technological
challenge facilitates the establishment of intermediate goals and deliverables, and
processes of monitoring and accountability
Mazzucato 2018
✓ A mission does not comprise a single R&D or innovation project, but a portfolio of
such projects. Because R&D and innovation is highly uncertain, some projects will fail,
and others will succeed. All concerned should be able to accept failures and use them
as learning experiences.
✓ Missions should result in investment across different sectors and involve different
types of actors. To have highest impact, missions should embrace actors across an
entire economy, not just in one sector and not just in the private or public realm.
✓ Missions require joined up policy making, whereby the priorities are translated into
concrete policy instruments and actions to be carried out by all levels of the public
institutions involved. While these missions should involve a range of public
institutions, it is crucial that there is a strategic division of labor among them, with
well-defined responsibilities for coordination and monitoring.

64. Choosing and implementing mission-
oriented policies
Missions should be broad enough to engage the public and attract cross-
sectoral investment and remain focused enough to involve industry and achieve
measurable success > Missions stimulate the development of a range of
different solutions to achieve specific goals
Mazzucato (2018)
From challenges
to missions
A culture of
experimentation
and risk-taking is a
crucial element in
the philosophy of
missions.

65. From broad
societal
challenges to
mission
projects |
A Framework
The challenges underpinning missions are complex, multidimensional, dynamic and
uncertain in the long run. A reflection is needed about what type of innovation, and
what ‘innovation mixes’ or ‘innovation portfolios’, have the highest potential to achieve
transformative impact to accomplish missions that contribute for example -
operationalize SDGs.
Miedzinski, Mazzucato & Ekins 2019
System innovation
is
fundamental

66. System innovation is a portfolio of
interdependent and mutually reinforcing
innovations which together have a potential
to transform systems delivering key
services to societies, such as health, food,
or mobility.
Miedzinski, Mazzucato & Ekins 2019
System innovations can be collectively
imagined, co-designed, co-created and
orchestrated.
System innovation is fundamental
System innovation thinking can be seen
as a framework to offer a shared
direction and seek new synergies
between often disconnected innovation
activities pursued by different actors in
various sectors and different locations.

67. An electric car
sharing model
as a system
innovation
Miedzinski (2017)
• The model can be extended and scaled by establishing links with additional innovations across various
dimensions, and further enabled by favourable shifts in regulatory framework and value systems.
• The level of impact of the scheme will depend on combinations of various innovations and shifts
in different dimensions.

68. Seaweed cultivation and utilization contributes to advancing several
UN SDGs, which provide integrative benefits contributing to
additional SDGs
Duarte et al. 2021
Mission-oriented innovation
Seaweed cultivation

69. SDG 14 “Conservation and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for
sustainable development” could be broken down into various missions,
for example, “A plastic-free ocean.”
Innovation
This could stimulate research and innovation in means to
clear plastic waste from oceans or in reducing use of
plastics, innovation in new materials, research on health
impacts from micro-plastics, behavioral research, and
innovation to improve recycling or drive public
engagement in cleaning up beaches.
Each of these areas can be
broken down into particular
“mission projects.”
Mazzucato (2018)

70. Choosing and implementing mission-
oriented policies
Societal relevance
Ambitious but
realistic research
and innovation
actions
This mission could have a clear target to reduce the amount of plastic
entering the marine environment by 90%, and of collecting more than half
of the plastic currently present in oceans, seas, and coastal areas by 2025.
Targeted,
measureable,
and
time-bound
Cross-
disciplinary,
cross-sectoral,
cross-actor,
cross-border
innovation
Multiple, bottom-
up solutions > a
combination of
various solutions,
focusing on
different facets of
the problem
MISSION => plastic free ocean
Bottom-up solutions
Mazzucato (2018)
Grand challenge =>
Clean oceans

71. Mission-oriented innovation policy roadmapping
framework for SDGs

72. Source
Source

73. Lecture 1 - Introduction: economic geography and its recent paradigms
oliveira@geographie.uni-kiel.de