Sustainable Transitions of Urban Projects towards Mitigation and Adaptation Projects for Climate Change: The case of Medellin

• Published in: IOP conference series. Materials Science and Engineering Vol. 1203; no. 3; pp. 32011 - 32022
• Main Authors: Perez-Lancellotti, Gino, Ziede, Marcela
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.11.2021
• Subjects: Adaptation; Case studies; Climate change; Design; Empirical analysis; Green belts; Leadership; Public transportation; Risk reduction; Sustainability; Urban areas; Urban planning
• ISSN: 1757-8981; 1757-899X
• DOI: 10.1088/1757-899X/1203/3/032011

Abstract The research investigates the relationship between cities and climate change by examining how urban projects shifted to mitigation and adaptation for climate change at an urban scale. The article is based upon two complementary approaches, a multilevel analysis from sustainable transitions theory and a framework of interrelations of urban mitigation and adaptation projects. The methodological design is a case study; we analyzed the case of Medellin that, at the beginning of the 2000's, implemented public transport projects, urban parks, educational and cultural facilities, and risk mitigation projects in the surrounding hills. The main findings are that specific projects at an urban scale are operating as niches or experiments, taking advantage of windows of opportunities, and triggering changes in the urban design routines, framing a new sociotechnical system. It is found that governance, leadership, teams of experts and urban planners are drivers for the transition of urban projects, which were initially designed for social and transport needs, to urban mitigation projects for climate change. At the same time, urban mitigation projects such as the Metropolitan Green Belt are transiting to adaptation projects for climate change. The conclusion for this case study is that while most urban projects retain their traditional role, a new generation of projects with mitigation and adaptation features is emerging in the context of climate change. This article contributes to expanding the empirical analysis of the literature on the theory of sustainable transitions specifically related to cities and urban projects. The theoretical framework of urban projects and their linkages with climate change are enriched. The conceptual framework of the analysis is replicable and useful for practitioners in the field of urban design and researchers interested in comparisons to identify patterns or typologies. In addition, the article contributes to sensitize actors involved in public urban design policies in their roles as managers of transitions.