Blocked Transition?

Regional shaping of normative and environmental spaces

Why do transformation processes on a regional level take a long time to get going? What blocks sustainable regional development? These questions are the starting point for the joint project "Blocked Transition”, supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). inter 3 and its project partners are investigating the barriers to the sustainable formation of regional space relationships in the pilot region of Mulde-Mündung (Saxony-Anhalt). Within the research consortium inter 3 is responsible for the sub-projects "environmental spaces” and "normative spaces”. The diverse region of Mulde-Mündung was admitting to the need for a sustainable development programme as far back as the 1990s. Despite this, it has taken a long time for transition processes to gain momentum; theoretical ideas on sustainability only become reality in the region with difficulty. The pilot project identifies factors which block sustainable regional development and formulates solution approaches to overcome these.

A plan for converting theory into practice

The aim of the project is to develop a bridging-concept for interdisciplinary cooperation and a ‘theory-to-practice’ transfer of scientific information and regional knowledge. Further to this, negotiation and communication strategies will be worked out between the partners which can be used to initiate and establish sustainable regional development in a regional context. Against the backdrop of increasing conflicts of interest in regional water usage, the sub-project "environmental spaces” will develop strategies for sustainable and foresightful usage of water. The reasons for blockage in the regional transition process are brought to light and new prospects for solving these are revealed. The accompanying regional public relations work supports new processes for sustainable regional development. It also helps to raise the awareness, acceptance and participation necessary to implement these processes.