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Comparing Societal Impact Planning and Evaluation Approaches across Four Urban Living Labs (in Food-Energy-Water Systems)

Author

Listed:
  • Daniel Black

    (Daniel Black + Associates|db+a, Bristol BS7 9AZ, UK
    Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, UK)

  • Susanne Charlesworth

    (Centre for Agroecology, Water & Resilience, Coventry University, Coventry CV8 3LG, UK)

  • Maria Ester Dal Poz

    (Institute of Economics and School of Applied Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-970, Brazil)

  • Erika Cristina Francisco

    (Institute of Economics and School of Applied Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-970, Brazil)

  • Adina Paytan

    (School of Applied Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas 13083-970, Brazil)

  • Ian Roderick

    (The Schumacher Institute, Bristol BS1 6XN, UK)

  • Timo von Wirth

    (Dutch Research Institute for Transitions (DRIFT), Erasmus University Rotterdam, 3062 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands
    School of Social & Behavioral Sciences, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, 60318 Frankfurt am Main, Germany)

  • Kevin Winter

    (Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa)

Abstract

Achieving societal impact, as opposed to academic impact, is a growing area of focus for the research community globally. Central to this changing mission is the focus on multiple interconnected complex systems and the need for research that is not just interdisciplinary, but also transdisciplinary and grounded in stakeholder co-production. This document compares multiple approaches to impact planning and evaluation across four newly formed urban living labs in Sao Paolo (Brazil), Western Cape (South Africa), Bristol (UK) and Rotterdam (Netherlands), each of which sought to address societal issues linked to the food-energy-water nexus. A comparison matrix and a disaggregated impact table are derived from a comprehensive review of key definitions. These new tools were completed by each ULL alongside a post hoc pathway to impact statements. Comparisons are presented and discussed, the strengths and weaknesses of this approach are considered and opportunities for improvement in societal impact planning and evaluation are provided. Our main findings include the importance of establishing clear shared definitions while accepting plural understandings, the need to acknowledge resource as a critical factor in impact delivery and the headline need for far greater focus in this area from both funders and research groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Black & Susanne Charlesworth & Maria Ester Dal Poz & Erika Cristina Francisco & Adina Paytan & Ian Roderick & Timo von Wirth & Kevin Winter, 2023. "Comparing Societal Impact Planning and Evaluation Approaches across Four Urban Living Labs (in Food-Energy-Water Systems)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-20, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:6:p:5387-:d:1100615
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lea Fuenfschilling & Niki Frantzeskaki & Lars Coenen, 2019. "Urban experimentation & sustainability transitions," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(2), pages 219-228, February.
    2. Reed, M.S. & Ferré, M. & Martin-Ortega, J. & Blanche, R. & Lawford-Rolfe, R. & Dallimer, M. & Holden, J., 2021. "Evaluating impact from research: A methodological framework," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(4).
    3. Timo von Wirth & Lea Fuenfschilling & Niki Frantzeskaki & Lars Coenen, 2019. "Impacts of urban living labs on sustainability transitions: mechanisms and strategies for systemic change through experimentation," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(2), pages 229-257, February.
    4. Eleanor Eaton & Alistair Hunt & Anastasia Di Leo & Daniel Black & Gwen Frost & Sarah Hargreaves, 2022. "What Are the Environmental Benefits and Costs of Reducing Food Waste? Bristol as a Case Study in the WASTE FEW Urban Living Lab Project," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-22, May.
    5. Bianca Vienni-Baptista & Isabel Fletcher & Catherine Lyall & Christian Pohl, 2022. "Embracing heterogeneity: Why plural understandings strengthen interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity [Defining Interdisciplinary Research: Conclusions from a Critical Review of the Literature]," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 49(6), pages 865-877.
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    Cited by:

    1. Daniel Black & Taoyuan Wei & Eleanor Eaton & Alistair Hunt & Joy Carey & Ulrich Schmutz & Bingzi He & Ian Roderick, 2023. "Testing Food Waste Reduction Targets: Integrating Transition Scenarios with Macro-Valuation in an Urban Living Lab," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-20, March.

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