Sustainability in City Ecosystems for Societal Practice in the Light of the 2030 Agenda

The term “sustainability” has become a commonly used and widely accepted term in both an ecological sense and a business sense. In this chapter, sustainability is seen as part of something bigger and can be seen as an ecosystem. The objective is to understand and assess how service and quality research can be used to meet transformative societal practice in city contexts to build city ecosystem frameworks. The main purpose is to develop and conceptualize in an explorative way a multilevel ecosystem for societal practice in the city context. The multilevel ecosystem for societal practice can be used for challenge-driven transformative change where sustainability, in the light of 2030 Agenda Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs), will get a more regenerative and societal meaning in interaction with transformation and innovation. The suggested multilevel ecosystem model addresses the interaction between the three levels (macro, meso, and micro) and the interdependence of the systemic, institutional, and processes. The model highlights that it is about a real transformative change process and not about SDG-washing.To reflect on the multilevel ecosystem for societal practice in city contexts in the light of 2030 Agenda SDGs, a case study of the ongoing process of Karlstad City’s transformation is developed. The suggested model will not make any transformative change without a proactive method to make a real mind shift or a paradigm shift. The chapter contributes the idea of building a lab platform for orchestrating innovation and transformation, to further develop ideas, create interaction and dialogues, and integrate and allocate resources to achieve a more radical change process and be aware that the devil is in the implementation process.