Systems thinking and sustainable urban development -how to improve the planning of sustainable cities

Abstract

In order to get the world on the right path we must move the cities towards a more sustainable direction. However, sustainable issues are wicked problems which have no optimal solution. Sustainability is also an interdisciplinary area that includes a variety of perspectives and stakeholders with different wants and needs in how to gain sustainability. Good planning is essential for achieving sustainable urban development, and by identifying the critical interactions and conflicts that arise between stakeholders, we will improve our planning processes and thus be better equipped to make beneficial decisions. The thesis argues that we need to change the way we think and improve our mental models. By integrating system thinking the imbalance that exists between the many perspectives of sustainability are to be identified and confronted. The thesis will demonstrate how we by the use of systems thinking and development of models sharpen our mental models and increase our understanding of the main challenges and conflicts we must face. Oslo is examined as a case analysis of a real world example in order to identify how the theory can be applied to a real city and what kind of concrete challenges Oslo is facing.