The relational shift in urban ecology: From place and structures to multiple modes of coproduction for positive urban futures

This perspective emerged from ongoing dialogue among ecologists initiated by a virtual workshop in 2021. A transdisciplinary group of researchers and practitioners conclude that urban ecology as a science can better contribute to positive futures by focusing on relationships, rather than prioritizin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ambio 2024-06, Vol.53 (6), p.845-870
Main Authors: Pickett, Steward T. A., Simone, AbdouMaliq T., Anderson, Pippin, Sharifi, Ayyoob, Barau, Aliyu, Hoover, Fushcia-Ann, Childers, Daniel L., McPhearson, Timon, Muñoz-Erickson, Tischa A., Pacteau, Chantal, Grove, Morgan, Frantzeskaki, Niki, Nagendra, Harini, Ginsberg, Joshua
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Atmospheric Sciences
Cities
City Planning - methods
Climate change
Connectivity
Conservation of Natural Resources - methods
Coproduction
Earth and Environmental Science
Ecologists
Ecology
Environment
Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology
Environmental Management
Environmental Sciences
Equity
Global change
Human ecosystem
Humans
Physical Geography
Political ecology
Power
Science
Shifts in Urban Ecology
Social action
Social-ecological-technological system
Urban areas
Urban ecology
Urban environments
Urban planning
Urban structures
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Summary:This perspective emerged from ongoing dialogue among ecologists initiated by a virtual workshop in 2021. A transdisciplinary group of researchers and practitioners conclude that urban ecology as a science can better contribute to positive futures by focusing on relationships, rather than prioritizing urban structures. Insights from other relational disciplines, such as political ecology, governance, urban design, and conservation also contribute. Relationality is especially powerful given the need to rapidly adapt to the changing social and biophysical drivers of global urban systems. These unprecedented dynamics are better understood through a relational lens than traditional structural questions. We use three kinds of coproduction—of the social-ecological world, of science, and of actionable knowledge—to identify key processes of coproduction within urban places. Connectivity is crucial to relational urban ecology. Eight themes emerge from the joint explorations of the paper and point toward social action for improving life and environment in urban futures.
ISSN:0044-7447
1654-7209
1654-7209
DOI:10.1007/s13280-024-02001-y