In Germany, three out of four people live in cities. In 2050 this will be the case worldwide. How people live in cities, what they consume and how they travel is considered crucial for the future. The UN Charter on Sustainable Development even states: "Our struggle for global sustainability will be won or lost in cities." There has recently been a discussion on how sufficiency policy can help make cities more sustainable. In addition to efficiency and consistency, sufficiency is one of three sustainability strategies. Sufficiency aims at the absolute reduction of natural and resource consumption through social innovations. The lecture outlines the possibilities and limitations of municipal sufficiency policy in growth-oriented societies. It is argued that sufficiency policy can be a very effective strategy for sustainability, but it can also increase social inequality, if it addresses solely environmental goals.

Dr. Michaela Christ is a sociologist at the Norbert Elias Center of the European University Flensburg, where she is responsible for the field of historical transformation research. She is one of the directors of the transdisciplinary research project „Entwicklungschancen und Hemmnisse einer suffizienzorientierten Stadtentwicklung“ (Development Opportunities and Obstacles of Sufficiency-Oriented Urban Development). In this project, scientists and employees of the city of Flensburg are jointly exploring the possibilities of a space-saving mobility and housing policy. Michaela Christ is also head of the interdisciplinary master’s program Transformation Studies, which was introduced in 2017.

All are welcome to attend, even without RSVP. However, if you would like a free sandwich, please email ceh@cas.au.dk and indicate any special dietary needs before 12pm on Tuesday, November 19.