The thesis critically examines existing dichotomies in the spatial and tem- poral aspects of (elder)care provision ranging from concepts of private and public space, over the family, the welfare state, and the private market as central units of care. Moreover, it actively questions the contemporary spa- tial representations of these three units because eldercare is often hidden in the private household, the nursing home in the urban periphery, or ageing is treated as a lifestyle for the affluent. The theoretical repositioning of these aspects is then reflected in a spatial understanding through the scales: from the regional of the Grand Re- gion Luxembourg to the neighbourhood level in Howald, Bonnevoie, and Hamm. The context shows a highly mobile labour market in general and in the field of health and long-term care. Currently, Luxembourg is dependent on cross-border workers from its neighbouring countries. With the general ageing of European populations, the ageing of cross-borders will be a chal- lenge for the labour market in the region. Next to this challenge, the thesis examines the relationship between care and the private household. More- over, the family as an institution of care is becoming ever more heteroge- neous regarding cultural background, composition, and size, which is often not reflected in policies and models of care provision and housing. Ranging from theory on social reproductive labour, gender, and spatial jus- tice, the thesis uses utopian precedents to imagine new ways of communal life centred around care. It presents scenarios that explore future trends in mobility and technology and their application in care work. These scenar- ios function as imaginaries for a collective future beyond binary concep- tions of care work and offer a new direction in the planning of housing and care provision. By later presenting the personal experience of the caregiver and receiver through speculative storytelling, the study advocates for more agency for both groups alike in planning and governing care. ... Read more

North-western European countries play an important role in the global food system, by providing 80 percent of the whole European production. The current production system is focused on profit, has a yearly emission of 1250 megatons of CO₂ equivalent in North-western Europe and produces pollutants in the soil, water, and air. This results in an imbalance between natural and human activities, which is destroying biodiversity, natural resources and is increasing food access inequality. Therefore, our goal is to reduce CO₂ emission to net-zero in 2050 and to reach food security for all people North-western citizens.
We aim to design a sustainable food production system that is based on three pillars: nature-based, community-based and production for need. We analysed the current system through fieldwork, data analyses and literature reviews.
The concept of the circular economy formed our basis for a vision of an open adaptive system for the food production system. It includes concepts of circularity from the production on the fields, towards the re-valuing and re-purposing of household and industrial by-products. For each of the production steps we have developed a toolbox of innovations, which are integrated following the local context. New ways of production are incorporated in the farming process; management techniques, which reduce CO₂, are implemented in the processing phase; new marketing strategies are applied in retail; in the consumption phase mindset is changed to accept alternative products and meal planning. In terms of disposal, waste is reduced by reusing it as an input for other processes. Lastly, carbon sequestration is improved by recovering and increasing natural areas, leading to an increase in biodiversity and soil health.
This toolbox is implemented as a strategy in the region of South Holland to illustrate the spatial, social, and economic impacts of the new food production system. The circular concept ensures an approachable transition from linear to circular food production systems in North-West Europe. Therefore, it can be used to inform international cooperations, national and regional governments in making policies, and to provide an overview of the spatial implications of this transition on the national, regional, and local scale. Overall, it is a radical shift towards renewable energy sources, incorporating by-products as inputs and using and producing food products with a smaller CO₂ footprint.
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