Co-creating societal progress: Developing participatory processes for working with governments to meet targets for ecological transition.

Climate change demands that governing institutions at every level of society define targets for ecological transition. The UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals are one such agenda. Actually meeting those targets takes more than planning, however — it requires the stimulation, development, and implementation of citizen-led solutions. With innovation labs and research institutes providing platforms to propagate solution prototypes, the remaining question becomes one of implementation. For prototypes to be put into action, participating actors must feel empowered and motivated to self-organize across sectors. Governmental cooperation, particularly at the regional and local levels, thus becomes a key factor for success. It is believed that co-creation — an approach to creative practice that involves active participation from all stakeholders — can increase the effectiveness and long-term success of multistakeholder partnerships. The proposed research will explore the conditions necessary for these partnerships to move forward with their projects, and identify tools and support measures to enable them to flourish.

Faculty Supervisor:

Carmela Cucuzzella

Student:

Partner:

Université de Lausanne

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Sustainability & the Environment; Public Service, Policy, and Governance; Information and Communications Technology

University:

Concordia University

Program: