Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Sustainability Transition on the local levels of civil society From Intervention to Transformation
30/10/2013 BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, ienna
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Table of Contents
!ntroduction""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 3 Problem Statement """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" # Objectives """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" $ Methodological Approach """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" % Timeline """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" & Core Literature """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 10 Systems Science Approaches """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 10 Sustainability Transition / Transformation """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 11 Social nnovation""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 12 Social !ntrepreneurship """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 12 Change Agency """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 12 'nne( 1 numbers to get a feel of the potential of the Sustainability ntervention Systems in Austria 1# 'nne( 2 ntervention Schemes """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 1$
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Sustainability Transition on the local levels of civil society From Intervention to Transformation
Introduction
n the "#st century human civili$ation faces comple% challenges as never before in history& The most threatening of this grand challenges are related to the patterns of production and consumption adopted by industriali$ed societies& This social metabolism '(ischer)*o+als,i und -.ttler #//012 consumes resources that are in depletion +hether fossil 'hydro carbonates1 or mineral based 'rare earths1 and destroys natural capacity to reproduce natural resources& On the output side2 by burning fossil fuels2 it produces CO"2 +hich is the main contributing factor to climate change ' PCC "3#41#& Solutions to this comple% problems2 that are very deep rooted in the everyday lifestyle and interrelated functions and patterns of our contemporary society2 re5uire deep structural changes in ,ey areas of human activity2 such as our transport2 energy2 agri)food2 housing2 manufacturing2 leisure and other systems& The emerging research field of Sustainability Transition 6esearch aims to understand the stabili$ing factors2 that cause loc,)in processes2 path dependent development and entrapment2 to find leverage points 'Meado+s 7onella #//812 to find +ays to 9dislodge: 'ST6; "3#31 them2 and identify path+ays and +indo+s of opportunity for a Sustainability Transition i&e& transformation& n governance theory there are three main spheres identified2 +here the path+ays of society are consciously and unconsciously driven by human interaction2 state intervention2 mar,et and civil society& The systems thin,er and grand seigneur !rvin Las$lo stated in a speech via S,ype at the 7ays of the (uture "3#4 in Ossiach2 Austria< The greatest potential power in the world is civil society - but in fact it is a sleeping dragon. This might be subject of a very interesting debate2 especially as there is a tendency that election driven politics might for+ard
!n t)e ne*est 2013 re+ort of t)e !,-- . !nternational ,anel on -li/ate -)an0e, t)e li1eli)ood of ant)ro+o0enic -O2 +roduction 2ein0 t)e /ain cause of t)e current cli/ate c)an0e *as solidified to &$3 li1eli)ood"
Research proposal Mag. Josef Kreitmayer
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inconvenient responsibility out of its sphere2 +hich has to be critically addressed& -ere +e +ant to ta,e the metaphor of the sleeping dragon to have a loo, at structures2 that could unloc, the potential of human individuals2 private persons and civil society in general2 rattling the dragon to +a,e up2 so to say& An ama$ing number of grassroots and social entrepreneurs2 government funded local community managers and sustainability co)ordinators as enablers on local and regional level as +ell as local government do their best to spur sustainable change in the immediate habitual environments of people 'Anne% #1& A variety of intervention schemes are put in place for enabling people in various roles to ma,e a difference 'Anne% "1& (or e%ample projects in schools on climate change and other sustainability related issues are on the rise States develop non)legislature mechanisms to enable people on the local level& Austria has a huge potential for effectively addressing the Sustainability Transition& n Anne% # to this document there is a short overvie+ on numbers to get an idea of the potential2 that lies in the intervention schemes in Austrian regions2 Anne% " sho+s a segmentation of different varieties of that schemes&
Problem Statement
The (ield of local sustainability intervention2 has "= years of e%perience in enabling people to be entrepreneurial2 develop projects2 form +or,ing groups2 and set up programs2 to mention a fe+ possibilities of engagement& There are successes& There are a fe+ regions and communities2 that are tal,ed about2 and that really transformed 'at least partially1 to+ards a more sustainable +ay of living& Many other interventions have not been able to unfold long lasting effects +ithin local socio)technical and socio)ecological systems& (rom ntervention to longterm Transformation2 ho+ to get there2 that is the mayor 5uestion of this research&
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Objectives
>et an understanding of the practical challenges of sustainability processes2 +hat problems the run into2 +hy initiatives +or,2 and +hy not& -arvesting the insights from fields as Systems nnovation2 Social nnovation2 Social !ntrepreneurship2 Social mpact Scaling and Sustainability Transition 6esearch Out of the e%isting ,no+ledge develop patterns and best practices for Sustainability Transition Practice2 iterate and verify them in practical application and case studies& Contribute to the emerging field of Sustainability Transitions 6esearch& 6esearch interest in the areas2 that are not jet +ell addressed 'ST6; "3#312 very +ell match the interest of this thesis< o 6esearch in the area of not mainly technical transition2 fits +ell to e%ploring the field of Social nnovation o 6ural areas2 and especially civil society2 including informal civil society and individual social entrepreneur?s initiative is not yet +ell addressed in Sustainability Transition 6esearch& o There is a felt need to apply and elaborate @ertalanffian ideas for the field of Sustainability Transition and bring in other Systems Thin,ing Methods2 to develop more sophisticated2 broadly applicable and reproducible models& Enable fruitful cross-pollination between the Systems Sciences, Sustainability Transition Research (which actually to a huge e tent originate! out of System Science approaches", System #nnovation (also very close relate! to Systems Sciences", Social Entrepreneurship, Social #nnovation an! Social #mpact Scaling$ Elaborating the lin%s between Systems Sciences an! Sustainability Transition Research is i!entifie! (Shove un! &al%er '(()", (*ar%ar! et al$ '(+'" as major research gap$ Systems Thin%ing is i!entifie! as important competence in the ,erman an! -ustrian Sustainable E!ucation framewor% (./E .il!ung f0r nachhaltige Entwic%lung"$ There is a lac% of material that is easily comprehensible for youngsters, a!ults, an! laypersons in general$ #n a!!ition, !eveloping such material woul! also benefit the fiel! of intervention$ Pohl an! 1irsch 1a!orn i!entifie! Systems 2nowle!ge, besi!es target %nowle!ge an! transformation %nowle!ge as a crucial part for enabling change (Pohl un! 1irsch 1a!orn '((3"$
Theoretical .ac%groun!
Research proposal Mag. Josef Kreitmayer
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The challenge of sustainable development is increasingly understood in terms of transitions to more sustainable socio-technical systems. (Smith et al. !"!# Sustainability transitions are long-term$ multi-dimensional$ and fundamental transformation processes through which established socio-technical systems shift to more sustainable modes of production and consumption. (%ar&ard et al. !" # 'esearch on (sustainability transitions comprises all scientific articles that are concerned with the analysis of the institutional$ organi)ational$ technical$ social$ and political aspects of far-reaching changes in e*isting socio-technical systems (e.g.$ transportation and energy supply#$ which are related to more sustainable or environmentally friendly modes of production and consumption. Sustainability transitions research includes empirical studies$ as well as conceptual and methodological contributions (ibid.# Transition scholars are interested in the broader societal transformations+ (Smith et al. !"!#
The field of Sustainability Transition 6esearch2 +ill provide the main theoretical frame+or,& n order to analy$e the possibilities and trajectories that allo+ transition i&e& transformation to happen2 the core concept of 9socio)technical systems: +as developed 'Mar,ard et al& "3#"1" The same could be said for OstromAs Bsocio)ecological systemsB& n difference to the understanding of mere technological transitions2 it is a+are2 that transformative technical innovations are interdependent +ith2 changes in user practices and in institutional structures 'e&g&2 regulatory and cultural12 in addition to the technological dimension& The conceptuali$ation as 9socio)technical systems: consists of net+or,s of personal and collective actors2 tangible and intangible institutions as +ell as material artifacts and ,no+ledge& Specific services to 9customers: in particular and society in general are provided in an interaction of a variety these mentioned elements& The systems approach behind the concept highlights the interdependence2 interrelatedness and specific dynamic in the structuri$ation of the socio)technical system& Socio)technical transitions are a combination of several innovative aspects& The core innovation2 service or product typically is interrelated +ith a developing series of complementary infrastructures2 for e%ample the automobile +ith gas stations2 traffic rules2 maintenance and insurance services& To adopt a ne+er e%ample2 the iphone or smart)phones come +ith an app mar,et2 accessories for protection and style2 technical accessories2 even insurance& The innovation itself cannot be understood +ithout ta,ing these interrelations in account& The recently emerged field of Sustainability Transition can provide the right frame+or, to analy$e and craft systemic approaches to+ards understanding2 spar,ing2 and co)creating sustainable transitions2 and diffuse successful approaches& Thereby it is clear2 that -uman
Mar,ard et al& n the mentioned article2 did a magnificent meta)analysis on the history of emergence for the field of Sustainability Transition 6esearch and Practice2 as +ell as a research agenda for further developing the field& Their article is very recommendable for deeper literature research and to get an understanding of the field& The follo+ing section2 as a very compressed and focused e%cerpt on the research area2 is mainly based on their +or,&
Research proposal Mag. Josef Kreitmayer
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Action Systems are not deterministic2 but al+ays highly uncertain in the relation of input and outcome in a system& So the research is rather aimed at generating ne+ theoretical systemic approaches2 solidifying and testing them to develop heuristics2 than to develop a grand theory or deterministic la+s of transition& The research is conducted to address needs of2 and develop for as +ell as +ith the practitioners in the field& @esides the field of Sustainability Transition 6esearch C Practice2 there are other fields of practice and research that can deliver important insights to foster the abilities of communities to develop their uni5ue path+ays to sustainability2 the fields of Social !ntrepreneurship2 Social mpact and Social nnovation& The field of Social !ntrepreneurship could be described as an international movement of scholars/practitioners/entrepreneurs/consultants that speciali$es in understanding and
conducting the development of socially beneficial ideas to concepts2 to startups2 running operations2 and finally disseminate via scale& The area of scalability brings us to the field of Social mpact2 +hich is very closely related to the field of Social !ntrepreneurship itself& t is comprised of a slightly different aggregation of actors2 and concerned +ith the more mature social ventures and their scalability& The actors are advanced entrepreneurs +ith proven concepts and or running operations2 investors2 philanthropist2 foundations and other interest)groups that +ant to use their leverage of net+or,s and finance to scale social impact& They developed frame+or,s ho+ to assess success2 or possible success2 and understand possible dynamics and strategies for dissemination i&e& scaling& Many of the practices2 culture and developmental stages from that field are very promising for enabling transition initiatives& n ;ovember "3#"2 my
organi$ation >et Active2 prototyped a startup event for young eco)social initiatives& De applied tools and culture from the social entrepreneurial culture in the field of young eco) activists& t +as ama$ingly +ell received& Social nnovation is to become one of the positive bu$$+ords of the coming years& Although the concepts have about "3 years of history2 it is a 5uite recent development2 that due to adoption in !uropean Enion nnovation Policies and Social !ngagement Policies '@!PA) @uero of !uropean Policy Advisers "3##12 it is on a very promising high rise& n contrast to the concept of nnovation itself2 +hich is very often related to technology2 it addresses the socio)cultural aspect of innovation&
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n the developing field of Social nnovation2 as in the field of Social !ntrepreneurship and Social mpact Scaling2 research and ne+ insights are application driven& Much is to be gained from those fields2 to develop frame+or,s for understanding and enabling particular aspects in scope and phase)development of sustainability transitions& As the culture of Social !ntrepreneurship2 Social mpact and Social nnovation do include sustainability and
ecological aspects2 there is a already a fine connection bringing them together& t is specific to Sustainability Transition 6esearch2 that it structurally and in the main focus addresses sustainability out of the ecological perspective2 and is therefore2 and for the systemic and research oriented approach2 the frame+or, of choice&
*etho!ological -pproach
The research project is conducted as a comparative case study 'Fin "3341 in the area of ntervention for Sustainable 7evelopment +ith a mi%ed)methods approach& A set of methods from mappings2 e%pert intervie+2 Action 6esearch Approaches and >rounded Theory2 at some stage maybe even a 5uantitative 5uestionnaire is in scope of methodological approach to the research 5uestion& !laborating the state of the e%isting body of ,no+ledge !ngaging +ith practitioners in the field via e%pert intervie+s2 focus groups and co) creative design processes2 to establish a shared vision of the research process and indentify possible strategies2 focal points and case study opportunities& terating the research strategy and deepening literature research in directions that emerged in interaction +ith practitioners& !ngaging +ith possible case study o+ners Prepare2 conduct and analy$e first prototype case study Collect2 aggregate and correlate out coming research data (eedbac, +ith case study research partner 7esign of systems)relevant conference papers C presentations for an interaction +ith the international transition research community n annual steps publish articles for anonymous feedbac, and a cumulative dissertation at @O*E
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Timeline
Nov 2013
Dec 2013
6an 2013
6an 2015
6an 2015
8arch 2015
8arch 2015 8ai 2015 ,pril 2015 6une 2015 ,pril 2015 6uly 2015 Research proposal Mag. Josef Kreitmayer
,ug 2015
>ct 2015
already established as best choice in :an9feb 2<';2=' ,ug' ( present ethodological and fra ewor!s findings at -th annual conference of STRN" the Sustainability Transition Research Networ!" at 4trecht 4niversity" Netherlands Develop the first of three articles for a peer reviewed :ournal $ind a peer reviewing :ournal for publishing the first article Review writing process" and develop draft for 2nd article 2nd case study on id si+e or big intervention syste s ?rite 2nd article for peer reviewed :ournal $ind conference where to present findings /ublish article in a peer reviewed :ournal conduct 3rd and final case study write the conclusive article as a co parative analysis of the case studies /resent findings at a scientific conference Sub itted to a scientific :ournal in the field of sustainability science" syste theory or local develop ent'''' Develop a boo! publication on the findings" and or a contribution to a collective publication
4ore 5iterature
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Midgley2 >erald '"3331< Systemic ntervention& Philosophy2 Methodology2 and Practice& @oston2 MA< Springer 'Contemporary Systems Thin,ing1& ;!STA '!d&1 '"3#41< Systems nnovation& 7iscussion Paper& Dith contributions from >eoff Mulgan und Charlie Leadbeater& ;esta Operating Company& Online available http<//+++&nesta&org&u,/publications/assets/features/systemsQinnovationQdiscussionQpaper2 $ulet$t a,tualisiert am "3#42 $ulet$t gepr.ft am 3N&"3#4& Ostrom2 !& '"33/1< A >eneral (rame+or, for Analy$ing Sustainability of Social)!cological Systems& n< Science 4"= '=/4/12 S& N#/IN""& Scharmer2 Claus Otto '"33/1< Theory E& Learning from the futures as it emerges& #& Aufl& San (rancisco2 Calif2 London< Mc>ra+)-ill distributor& S ! ) Social nnovation !urope '!d&1 '"3#41< Systemic nnovation& Online available https<//+ebgate&ec&europa&eu/socialinnovationeurope/& Sterman2 Kohn 7& '"33"1< All models are +rong< reflections on becoming a systems scientist& n< Syst. 2yn. 'ev. #0 'N12 S& =3#I=4#& Dill,e2 -elmut '"33=1< nterventionstheorie& >rund$.ge einer Theorie der ntervention in ,omple%e Systeme& N& Aufl& Stuttgart< Lucius C Lucius 'ET@ So$iologie2 nterdis$iplinRr2 #0331&
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Smith2 AdrianG PoS2 Kan)PeterG >rin2 Kohn '"3#31< nnovation studies and sustainability transitions< The allure of the multi)level perspective and its challenges& n< 'esearch -olicy 4/ 'N12 S& N4=INN0&
Social #nnovation
@!PA)@uero of !uropean Politicy Advisers2 !uropean Comission '"3##1< !mpo+ering people2 driving change& Social innovation in the !uropean Enion& Lu%embourg< !E6)OP& 7avies2 AnnaG Simon2 Kulie '"3#41< The value and role of citi$en engagement in social innovation& !uropean Commission2 7> 6esearch& @russels 'A deliverable of the project< 9The theoretical2 empirical and policy foundations for building social innovation in !urope: 'T!PS !12 !uropean Commission ) 8 th (rame+or, Programme21& 7avies2 AnnaG Simon2 KulieG Patric,2 6obertG ;orman2 Dill '"3#"1< Mapping citi$en engagement in the process of social innovation& !uropean Commission2 7> 6esearch& @russels 'A deliverable of the project< 9The theoretical2 empirical and policy foundations for building social innovation in !urope: 'T!PS !12 !uropean Commission ) 8 th (rame+or, Programme21& -oc!derne2 KosefG Lefenda KohannG PTchhac,er)TrTscher2 >erlinde '"3##1< *on$eptstudie& Dirtschaftspolitische Chancen und Perspe,tiven so$ialer nnovation in Usterreich& !d& v& m Auftrag der Austria Dirtschaftsservice Agentur& PTchhac,er nnovation Consulting2 VS ) Ventrum f.r So$iale nnovation& Mendes2 AmWricoG @atista2 AntXnioG (ernandes2 LilianaG Macedo2 PalmiraG Pinto2 (ilipeG 6ebelo2 LuYs et al& '"3#"1< @arriers to Social nnovation& !uropean Commission2 7> 6esearch& @russels 'A deliverable of the project< 9The theoretical2 empirical and policy foundations for building social innovation in !urope: 'T!PS !12 !uropean Commission ) 8 th (rame+or, Programme21& Murray2 6obinG Caulier)>rice2 KulieG Mulgan2 >eoff '"3#31< The Open @oo, of Social nnovation& ;!STAG The Foung (oundation 'Open nnovator Series< Days to 7esign2 7evelop and >ro+ Social nnovation1& Online available http<//+++&nesta&org&u,/publications/assets/features/theQopenQboo,QofQsocialQinnovation& The Foung (oundation '!d&1 '"3#"1< Social nnovation Practices and Trends& !uropean Commission2 7> 6esearch& @russels 'A deliverable of the project< 9The theoretical2 empirical and policy foundations for building social innovation in !urope: 'T!PS !12 !uropean Commission ) 8 th (rame+or, Programme21&
Social Entrepreneurship
@raunerhjelm2 PontusG Stuart -amilton2 Elri,a '"3#"1< Social entrepreneurship I a survey of current research& !d& v& S+edish !ntrepreneurship (orum 'Dor,ing Paper2 "3#" < 3/1& (ran, @oonsG (lorian L.de,e)(reund '"3#41< @usiness models for sustainable innovation< state)of)the)art and steps to+ards a research agenda& n< 0ournal of 4leaner -roduction N= '312 S& /I#/& Lehner2 Othmar M& '"3##1< The Phenomenon of Social !nterprise in Austria< A Triangulated 7escriptive Study& n< 0ournal of Social ,ntrepreneurship " '#12 S& =4I80&
4hange -gency
Armena,is2 A& A& '#//41< Creating 6eadiness for Organi$ational Change& n< /uman 'elations NJ 'J12 S& J0#I 834& @uchanan2 7avid A&G @oddy2 7avid '#//"1< The e%pertise of the change agent& Public performance and bac,stage activity& ;e+ For,< Prentice -all& Calu+W2 LWon deG Permaa,2 -ans '"3341< Learning to change& A guide for organi$ation change agents& Thousand Oa,s2 CA< SA>!&
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7olata2 Elrich '"3##1< 6adical Change as >radual Transformation& Characteristics and Pariants of Socio) technical Transitions& Eniversity of Stuttgard2 nstitute for Social Sciences Organi$ational Sociology and nnovation Studies '6esearch Contributions to Organi$ational Sociology and nnovation Studies1& Online available http<//+++&uniZstuttgart&de/so$/oi/publi,ationen/& *anter2 6osabeth Moss '#///1< The enduring s,ills of change leaders& n< 6eader to 6eader #/// '#412 S& #=I""& & SchTn2 7onald A& '#/041< The reflective practitioner& -o+ professionals thin, in action& ;e+ For,< @asic @oo,s& Destley2 (rances 6&G Tjornbo2 OlaG Schult$2 LisenG Olsson2 PerG (ol,e2 CarlG Crona2 @eatriceG @odin2 Urjan '"3#41< A Theory of Transformative Agency in Lin,ed Social)!cological Systems& n< ,cology and Society #0 '41& Dippler2 6einhard '#/801< ;icht)intendierte so$iale (olgen individueller -andlungen& n< So)iale 7elt "/ '"12 S& #==I#8/&
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Annex 1
numbers to get a feel of the potential of the Sustainability ntervention Systems in Austria
/==4 of the "4=NN communities in Austria are partners in the Climate Coalition2 9*limab.ndnis:2 a net+or, +ith more than "3 years of history& More than N"N of the communities= 'many of +hich are also enrolled to the Climate Coalition Program1 and 4J of the /= districts in Austria are engaged in 9Local Agenda "#: participatory sustainability processes2 a state co)funded net+or,2 that started in #//02 initiated globally +ith the 6io Conference in #//"&& N4JJ of the J&#"38 Schools in Austria are Partners in the U,olog)Schul);et$+er, 'Oe,olog ;et+or, for ecological schools1 All / Austrian states committed to a shared initiative on Sustainability& The states themselves develop and implement strategies for fostering sustainable development& Kust to mention some2 Lo+er Austria recently started a platform +here people can post their energy efficiency measures& Tirol2 Porarlberg C Epper Austria in public private partnerships adopted a program)franchise from Liechtenstein2 the 9 deen,anal: ' dea) Channel12 +here people can post ideas for the common good to a +ebsite2 and if it is li,ed by online)votes and a jury2 can get funding and coaching to implement the idea& / of "" federal universities are partners in the Alliance for Sustainable Eniversities that +as rolled out in "3#"& [
according to the *limab.ndnis Debsites http<//+++&,limabuendnis&at/start&aspO 7\#33/8=Cb\44NCb"\Cam\ chec,ed "/&"3#4 N Statisti, Austria http<//+++&statisti,&at/+ebQde/,lassifi,ationen/regionaleQgliederungen/gemeinden/ chec,ed "/&"3#4 = Lo,ale Agenda "# I 6eport "3#"2 online available< http<//+++&nachhaltig,eit&at/article/articlevie+/J/#4//#/"=JJ4 chec,ed 43&"3#4 J http<//+++&oe,olog&at/schulen)und)paedagogische)hochschulen/oe,olog)schulen&html chec,ed 43&"3#4 8 Statisti, Austria http<//+++&statisti,&at/+ebQde/statisti,en/bildungQundQ,ultur/formalesQbildungs+esen/schulenQschulbesuch/inde%&html chec,ed 43&"3#4
Research proposal Mag. Josef Kreitmayer
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Annex 2
ntervention Schemes
(Identified in first brainstorming on the matter)
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