Voorbeeldige steden

Tijdens het inspirerende Noorderzonfestival in Groningen dit jaar organiseerde Platform Gras dialogen over Hoop. Op 21 augustus 2023 gingen twee stadsbouwmeesters met elkaar in gesprek over de vraag: wat zijn voorbeeldige steden, steden waar we met plezier wonen in de toekomst? En wat kunnen we leren van Groningen en Gent? Peter Vanden Abeele, bouwmeester in […]

Sustainability Transformation in Food Systems: The Role of Citizens

 Kolade Victor Otokiti. This blog has been written in the context of the course Engaging Society in Spatial Transformations, part of the Master Society, Sustainability and Planning, at the University of Groningen. 1. Introduction The relationship between climate change and food systems may be viewed as a cycle in which food systems act as a […]

Energy citizenship and Energy transition

Yulita Muspitasari. This blog has been written in the context of the Course Engaging Society in Spatial Transformations, part of the Master Society, Sustainability and Spatial Transformation, at the University of Groningen. Introduction The most significant human activity contributing to climate change, according to the IPCC 2018, is the use of fossil fuels for energy. […]

Sustainable Islands: The Possible Contributions of Islanders to the EU clean energy strategy

Kolade Victor Otokiti. This blog has been written in the context of the course Engaging Society in Spatial Transformation, part of the Master Society, Sustainability and Planning, at the University of Groningen. Introduction The main objectives of the European clean energy strategy are to increase the share of renewable energy, improve energy efficiency, enhance energy […]

Seven Transformation Approaches to Sustainable Food Security

Seun Festus Oladipo.   This blog describes seven approaches to how societal transformation towards sustainability can be achieved in the context of food security, and adresses the question what the role of citizens could be in supporting this transformation. This blog has been written in the context of the course Engaging Society in Spatial Transformation, […]

Planning with Nature: What if nature takes a seat at the table?

Cor Busier’s Stakeholder Meeting Planners are used to procedures where human stakeholders can voice their opinions and concerns, but non-human stakeholders are seldom considered. For the course ‘Critical Approaches to Global Sustainability Challenges’ (University of Groningen), we made a video that aims to draw attention to the non-human stakeholders that are affected by a planner’s […]

Sustainable place-shaping: Can Masdeu

Can Masdeu is an eco-community and according to their website also “a network of projects that resists the voraciousness of a city without limits to the rhythm of the seasons. An act of creative disobedience to the world of money, smoke and ordinances, noise and speed. A proposal for collective cooperation and coexistence between generations…”. […]

Towards a new civic bureaucracy

By: Matthew J. Quinn Why does it often seem so difficult to engage with government bodies about the value of working in places and of co-producing ideas and actions with local communities? This has been something I’ve wrestled with over my career in public service in the UK and, more recently, as part of the […]

Open Acces Book: Co-Creativity and Engaged Scholarship published!

The new book “Co-Creativity and Engaged Scholarship. Transformative Methods in Social Sustainability Research” has now been published online! The book has been editied by Alex Franklin and been published in the context of the EU Marie Curie ITN programs RECOMS. A unique overview of transdisciplinary approaches to researching and communicating community environmental practice Demonstrates how […]