Opportunities and Obstacles for Sufficiency-Oriented Urban Development II (EHSS II)

The EHSS II project builds directly on the findings of the research into the opportunities and obstacles for sufficiency-oriented urban development (EHSS).

Between 2017 and 2021, a transdisciplinary team from the two project partners investigated how socially just and sustainable urban development is possible without growth. The research project focused on the still relatively unknown sustainability strategy of sufficiency, as well as on sufficiency policy. Sufficiency is one of three sustainability strategies, alongside efficiency and consistency. Sufficiency means reducing the consumption of nature and resources not through the technical optimisation of products and production processes, but through usage-based or social innovations.

Sufficiency policy, in turn, refers to political interventions that enable a life that is both resource-conserving and fulfilling. This encompasses new regulations, support measures, laws and ordinances, as well as changes to infrastructure. At the heart of EHSS lay the politically sensitive question of how local government can ensure the well-being of its residents without having to rely increasingly on growth to achieve this. As part of a real-world laboratory in Flensburg, guidelines for sufficiency-oriented urban development were drawn up and adopted by the city council.

This is where the EHSS II implementation project comes in. In Flensburg’s Hafen-Ost – a regeneration area of around 55 hectares situated directly on the fjord – a new urban, mixed-use neighbourhood is to be created. Based on the agreed guidelines, the framework plan will be developed from summer 2021 onwards to further flesh out the project within the regeneration area. Several planning consultancies have been commissioned to design the framework plan process and to fulfil the socio-ecological requirements for the planned neighbourhood as effectively as possible. Furthermore, the participatory approach – involving the city’s residents in the planning process – will be continued.

As part of the EHSS II implementation project, the transdisciplinary team comprising staff from the Norbert Elias Centre at the Europa University of Flensburg and the city will accompany and support this process. The implementation project is divided into four work packages.

Insights into the research project

ResearchprogramDeadlinesPublicationsIn the mediaEHSS I