Socio-technical infrastructure interdependencies and their implications for urban sustainability; recent insights from the Netherlands

Gürsan, C.; de Gooyert, V.; de Bruijne, M.L.C.; Rouwette, E.

doi:10.1016/j.cities.2023.104397

Socio-technical infrastructure interdependencies and their implications for urban sustainability; recent insights from the Netherlands

Title

Socio-technical infrastructure interdependencies and their implications for urban sustainability; recent insights from the Netherlands

Author

Gürsan, C. (Nijmegen School of Management)
de Gooyert, V. (Nijmegen School of Management)
de Bruijne, M.L.C. (TU Delft Organisation & Governance)
Rouwette, E. (Nijmegen School of Management)

Date

2023

Abstract

Cities are increasingly recognized as potential motors of sustainability transitions. These transitions build on existing as well as new infrastructures, and these infrastructures mutually influence each other in many ways, a phenomenon known as infrastructure interdependencies. These infrastructure interdependencies have significant implications for both enabling or restricting urban sustainability transitions but their implications remain understudied. We elaborate the role of interdependent infrastructure systems from a socio-technical perspective and explore recent examples of how socio-technical interdependencies in infrastructure systems influence urban sustainability efforts. We analyze infrastructure interdependencies in the Netherlands which is relevant because of its high urbanization rate, dense urban areas, and innovative developments. We distinguish seven socio-technical infrastructure interdependency types that can influence urban sustainability transitions: functional, evolutionary, spatial, life-cycle, policy/procedural, market, and culture/norm interdependencies. We identify and discuss contrasting multi-mode relationships of each interdependency example. Our results offer an interdisciplinary framework and examples of potential influential infrastructure interdependencies to explore, understand, and discuss the implications of infrastructure interdependencies for urban sustainability transitions.

Subject

Infrastructure interdependencies
Infrastructure systems
Multi-level perspective
Multi-mode interactions
Socio-technical systems
Urban climate mitigation

To reference this document use:

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:6ba42865-5197-4285-8105-68e864b5992a

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2023.104397

ISSN

0264-2751

Source

Cities: the international journal of urban policy and planning, 140

Part of collection

Institutional Repository