In the face of escalating climate crises, traditional sustainable development strategies are proving insufficient. A new approach is emerging, one that could redefine urban planning and have significant implications for the energy sector. Duncan Crowley, a researcher affiliated with the European Network for Community-Led Initiatives on Climate Change and Sustainability (ECOLISE), is at the forefront of this shift, advocating for regenerative urban planning.
Crowley’s work, published in the journal Cidades, Comunidades e Território, which translates to Cities, Communities and Territory, argues that cities must move beyond sustainability to embrace regenerative development. This approach focuses on activating citizen participation in a multi-scaled, community-led, bottom-up planning process. “We need to move from a model where experts dictate solutions to one where active citizens design and construct the futures they desire for their territories,” Crowley emphasizes.
The energy sector stands to gain significantly from this paradigm shift. Regenerative urban planning prioritizes local energy production and consumption, reducing reliance on centralized power grids. This decentralization can lead to increased energy efficiency, resilience, and innovation. Communities are more likely to adopt renewable energy solutions when they have a direct stake in the planning and implementation process.
Crowley’s research builds on degrowth ideas and doughnut economic frameworks, recognizing Earth’s limits and promoting a more equitable distribution of resources. This approach challenges the conventional wisdom that economic growth is the panacea for all societal issues. Instead, it advocates for a steady-state economy that prioritizes well-being and ecological sustainability.
The Global Ecovillage Network’s process, which has successfully implemented regenerative development in small communities, is being examined for its potential to scale up to large cities. However, this scaling presents unique challenges, including governance and infrastructure. Crowley highlights some radical governance experiments that could pave the way for this transition.
To bridge the gap between activism and academia, Crowley employs a transdisciplinary participative action research method. This approach involves creating a Communities of Practice ecosystem to support an eco-social just transition. This work is part of several larger initiatives, including the Horizon 2020 project UrbanA, which investigates sustainable and just cities, and the Communities for Future action platform.
In Lisbon, Crowley examines three community-led initiatives—Bela Flor, Ajuda, and Marvila—that embody this regenerative approach. These processes are still at the margins, but they could soon become core activities of regenerative urban planning. As Crowley puts it, “Re-Making our cities is everyone’s business.”
The implications for the energy sector are profound. As cities transition to regenerative models, there will be a growing demand for decentralized, renewable energy solutions. This shift could spur innovation in energy storage, smart grids, and community-owned energy projects. Moreover, it could lead to a more resilient energy infrastructure, better equipped to withstand the impacts of climate change.
Crowley’s work is a call to action for urban planners, policymakers, and energy providers. It challenges them to rethink their approaches and embrace a more inclusive, regenerative model of urban development. As the climate crisis deepens, the need for such a shift becomes increasingly urgent. The future of our cities—and the energy sector—depends on it.