Managing urban soil sealing in Munich and Leipzig (Germany)—From a wicked problem to clumsy solutions

• Published in: Land use policy 2015-07, Vol.46, p.21-37
• Main Author: Artmann, Martina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Clumsy solution; Consumption; Ecosystems; Environment; Europe; Germany; Global warming; Land; Population; Regulation; Sustainable urban development; Urban soil sealing; Wicked problems
• ISSN: 0264-8377; 1873-5754
• DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2015.02.004

•The REA is a valuable approach to define clumsy solutions to wicked problems.•The study makes a contribution to current debates on efficient sealing management.•Results show that a mix of strategies is necessary to steer soil sealing efficiently.•The efficiency of responses differs between urban actors and residents.•Commitment by urban actors is crucial for an efficient sealing management approach. Cities can be characterized by extensive sealing limiting the supply of ecosystem services. In Europe, soil sealing is still increasing despite decreasing population. This paper shows that the management of urban soil sealing must—due to its complex driving forces, impacts, constraints of its management and different actors—be considered as a wicked problem. By using the method of response–efficiency–assessment (REA), the strategies “legal-planning”, “informal-planning”, “economic-fiscal”, “co-operative” and “informational” are assessed in their degree of efficiency as being ecologically sustainable, economically functional, institutionally accepted, supporting environmental competence and living quality. Responses were assessed by indicators using a content analysis and survey of urban actors and residents in Leipzig and Munich (Germany). Main results of the study show that no single strategy can provide an efficient solution for reducing soil sealing but rather a mix of clumsy solutions are necessary promoting: (1) stricter regulations and an increase in ecological–financial incentives, (2) stronger commitment by urban actors toward sealing reduction supported by informal-planning responses and scientific know-how, (3) information addressed to urban residents supporting self-reflection on impacts of private land consumption and (4) improved horizontal and regional co-operations taking into account cities’ responsibility for urban and global sustainability. This study provides a valuable approach on how to puzzle together clumsy solutions on the example of soil sealing management as a challenge in an urbanized world. This method can also be used for other current wicked problems like climate change.