Antonietta Di Giulio

This article identifies ten priorities for future sustainable consumption research and action, prioritising questions of (in)justice. It emerged from a series of interdisciplinary exchanges between sustainable consumption scholars from across Europe, reflecting their expert perspectives and research practices.

Funding structures and review processes are still considered as among the major barriers to transdisciplinary research. The search for convincing and satisfying avenues and guidelines for funding agencies and review panels is ongoing. The question of how to evaluate transdisciplinary research has been debated for some time, and it resulted in a considerable number of proposals and criteria. What is missing is a scholarly engagement with the evaluation practice. Knowing more about the actual dynamics of evaluation processes, about the challenges faced by those involved, and about what they perceive to be supportive could uncover promising (and evidence based) paths both for review processes and for future research. Three case studies in which we accompanied the evaluation of transdisciplinary research and in which we collaborated with funders, review panels, and research teams provide the empirical fundament of the chapter. The evaluation processes in all three cases are characterized by ‘well-meaning and well-informed actors’ (actors who value transdisciplinary research, are experienced in dealing with it, are aware of the specific requirements of such research). We present results about requirements for practicable criteria, about the interdisciplinary nature of the evaluation processes, and about the potential of adopting a transdisciplinary approach in evaluating transdisciplinary research.

Caring for human wellbeing has the potential of offering a powerful narrative for change toward sustainability. A broad body of research confirms that a narrative linking the ideas of a good life (human wellbeing) and of solidarity and justice actually exists, and that this narrative could, if supported and reinforced by convincing concepts, relevant material structures, and coherent action, serve as a societal source of power for sustainability. With a view to providing a theory of human wellbeing that focuses on the responsibility of the community and conceptualizes achieving a good life as a public good and not as a purely individual matter, we developed the Theory of Protected Needs (PN). The Theory of PN is a theory of good life that frames quality of life for individuals as a societal responsibility (but without affecting individual freedom), thus linking the individual and the societal perspective with a view of ensuring life satisfaction of present and future generations. The Theory of PN has been subjected to a representative survey in Switzerland. In the paper, we explore whether the Theory of PN can be empirically confirmed, that is, to what extent the nine needs the theory consists of deserve the status of being protected needs. We present the theory, the empirical criteria that the nine needs have to meet in order to qualify for being protected needs, and the results of the data analysis. These results sum up to an aggregated argument in favor of using the Theory of PN as a fundament to conceptualize sustainability as ‘caring for human wellbeing'. The paper concludes with outlaying further steps both in research and in societal practice. In the Appendix A, the German and French versions of the Theory of PN are first published.

Narrative sind grundlegende Denk-, Erklärungsund Interpretationsmuster. Sie sind erkenntnisund handlungsleitend und stecken den Rahmen ab, in dem sich politische Optionen bewegen können. Die Bedeutung von Narrativen auch mit Blick auf eine wirksame Umwelt- und Nachhaltigkeitspolitik wird zunehmend erkannt. Was ist der Stand der Forschung und was kann daraus gelernt werden?

While green public spaces have been studied in relation to biodiversity and climate change, and in relation to health and social inclusion, there is a need to further understand how they relate to a broader understanding of human wellbeing. Evidence suggests that public spaces play an important role with a view to happiness and mental health, but further evidence is needed on how people actually use such spaces and how human needs are met – and how this might compare across different contexts. This necessitates to linking conceptually, empirically and practically the consumption of such spaces, the notion of the good life, and the management of such spaces. Towards this aim, this article explores quality of life in relation to green public spaces in four cities of South and Southeast Asia: Chennai, Metro Manila, Shanghai and Singapore. Based on empirical research in these cities, we engage in a comparative analysis to discuss how and in what way ‘going to the park’ as a form of consumption is a satisfier towards meeting ‘Protected Needs’ () such as to live in a livable environment, to develop as a person or to be part of a community. The analysis shows that the practice ‘going to the park’ is linked to the practice ‘making the park’, leading to a discussion on how public policies can further support quality of life in cities. On a theoretical note, the article contributes to the debate about how to conceptually link human needs and social practices. While green public spaces have been studied in relation to biodiversity and climate change, and in relation to health and social inclusion, there is a need to further understand how they relate to a broader understanding of human wellbeing. Evidence suggests that public spaces play an important role with a view to happiness and mental health, but further evidence is needed on how people actually use such spaces and how human needs are met – and how this might compare across different contexts. This necessitates to linking conceptually, empirically and practically the consumption of such spaces, the notion of the good life, and the management of such spaces. Towards this aim, this article explores quality of life in relation to green public spaces in four cities of South and Southeast Asia: Chennai, Metro Manila, Shanghai and Singapore. Based on empirical research in these cities, we engage in a comparative analysis to discuss how and in what way ‘going to the park’ as a form of consumption is a satisfier towards meeting ‘Protected Needs’ (Di Giulio and Defila, 2020) such as to live in a livable environment, to develop as a person or to be part of a community. The analysis shows that the practice ‘going to the park’ is linked to the practice ‘making the park’, leading to a discussion on how public policies can further support quality of life in cities. On a theoretical note, the article contributes to the debate about how to conceptually link human needs and social practices.

The concept of consumption corridors (CC) provides a fundament for developing sustainable consumption policies. It suggests to determine minima and maxima of consumption. Its implementation would lead to numerous policies covering a broad range of dimensions of consumption. To serve this purpose, the concept must proceed from a broad conceptualization of consumption that convincingly links a human-action lens and a natural-environment lens. The concept of CC is informed by the goal of ensuring quality of life for every human being living now and in the future. Accordingly, quality of life should be the criterion used to justify and determine corridors of consumption. This necessitates firmly linking consumption and a salutogenic definition of quality of life. This article explores how the theory of Protected Needs (PN), a quality-of-life-theory that has been specifically developed for the context of sustainability, contributes to advancing the concept of CC. In addition, drawing on the results of a Swiss survey, we show that embracing the existence of universal and incontestable human needs and endorsing the idea of limiting consumption might be part of the same worldview. The article concludes by identifying conceptual challenges to approach with a view to building a robust bridge from needs to lower and upper limits of consumption.

The significance of green public spaces is well documented in relation to social inclusiveness, human health, and biodiversity, yet how green public spaces achieve what Gough (2017) has termed ‘sustainable wellbeing’ is less understood. This contribution presents preliminary results from a study of green public spaces in four mega-cities of South and Southeast Asia: Chennai (Republic of India), Metro Manila (Republic of the Philippines), Singapore, and Shanghai (People’s Republic of China), cities that have climates ranging from tropical, to subtropical and temperate. The conceptual framework brings together social practice theories with human development theories, methodological implications for the study of park usage, and Protected Needs. This study sets out to understand how parks satisfy human needs by uncovering practices in relation to activities and material arrangements. Central to the research design and sampling strategy is a desire to understand park-related practices in all of their diversity, and accounting for how different activities are carried out by diverse groups of people. The paper presents exemplary results showing that parks provide a space in which a multitude of needs are satisfied, and that parks cannot be substituted by other settings such as commercialized spaces. The paper will conclude by discussing tensions between types of park usage, and in relation to commercial encroachments on public space.