Identifying and exploring ‘agency features’ in decision-making processes aimed at urban sustainability transformation

Abstract

An urgent transformation towards sustainability is needed in socio-ecological-technical systems. Cities play a major role in leveraging change to inform local and global sustainability and resilience challenges. Urban sustainability transformation calls for more emphasis on the agency’s role in decision-making processes for urban governance. An integrative literature review was conducted to identify and explore agency features in the decision-making processes of plans, policies, and programs aiming for a shift toward sustainability and resilience in urban systems. The main findings are 10 ‘agency features’ and two ‘conditions for change’ synthesized into a concept map to support urban decision-making processes.