6 Urban-Rural Interrelations—A Challenge for Sustainable Land …
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Feedback processes in (distantly) coupled systems can influence the existing
governance structure or create new institutional arrangements (3), and have therefore been assessed as having the potential for institutional change (Friis et al. 2016).
Another relevant distinction from the initial concept by Liu et al. (2013) is the recognition of differences of power, influence, and possible asymmetrical relationships
in terms of material, capital, information, etc., which “create[s] asymmetries in the
responsibility and nature of response” (Eakin et al. 2014: 149). Due to globalisation,
processes of economic intensification and connection can be observed. The material
flows induced (goods, people, capital) often go hand in hand with non-material flows
such as information, knowledge, ideologies or discourses facilitated by information
technologies and social networks (Eakin et al. 2014; Persson and Mertz 2019). These
flows enable actors in the systems to interact or even to change scales (Friis et al.
2016).
A prominent example of indirect land use changes is biofuel production, such
as induced by the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive or by US energy
policy. These measures have caused negative environmental and social impacts in
many countries around the globe, including increased land competition and international trade, a decrease in food crops, a loss of biodiversity. In the case of biofuel
production, land use changes occur not only in the countries where the policy decisions were made, but also in other countries such as Mexico or Brazil (Eakin et al.
2014,2017), which also raises questions about the governance of food systems.
6.3.3 Preliminary Summary and Discussion
The two core concepts and their adaptations (flows of people and materials, and
telecoupling) provide useful analytical perspectives on urban-rural interrelations. As
yet, however, both concepts have mainly been applied in science and tested in a
number of empirical studies with different thematic fields (Stead 2002; Friis 2019).
Table 6.1 summarises the strengths and weaknesses of the different concepts in
terms of urban-rural relations, land management and governance.
Both concepts display the variety of urban-rural interrelations (represented by
flows). Whereas the Stead model and its adaption by Repp et al. 2012 focus on
the type and direction of functional interlinkages, the models’ explanatory power
regarding land use changes remains rather limited. Although the models make no
direct reference to land use management and governing urban-rural relations, they
enable subject areas, actors and programmes for urban-rural relations and regional
planning to be identified and operationalised by differentiating functions and flows
(Repp et al. 2012; Kasper and Giseke 2017). They are less complex and easier to
understand than the teleconnection and telecoupling approaches, making them more
feasible for practitioners.
The telecoupling model by Liu et al. (2013) is similar to Stead’s concept in
that different material and non-material flows are also an important element for
analysis. However, the telecoupling concept provides an additional analytical layer
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Feedback processes in (distantly) coupled systems can influence the existing
governance structure or create new institutional arrangements (3), and have therefore been assessed as having the potential for institutional change (Friis et al. 2016).
Another relevant distinction from the initial concept by Liu et al. (2013) is the recognition of differences of power, influence, and possible asymmetrical relationships
in terms of material, capital, information, etc., which “create[s] asymmetries in the
responsibility and nature of response” (Eakin et al. 2014: 149). Due to globalisation,
processes of economic intensification and connection can be observed. The material
flows induced (goods, people, capital) often go hand in hand with non-material flows
such as information, knowledge, ideologies or discourses facilitated by information
technologies and social networks (Eakin et al. 2014; Persson and Mertz 2019). These
flows enable actors in the systems to interact or even to change scales (Friis et al.
2016).
A prominent example of indirect land use changes is biofuel production, such
as induced by the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive or by US energy
policy. These measures have caused negative environmental and social impacts in
many countries around the globe, including increased land competition and international trade, a decrease in food crops, a loss of biodiversity. In the case of biofuel
production, land use changes occur not only in the countries where the policy decisions were made, but also in other countries such as Mexico or Brazil (Eakin et al.
2014,2017), which also raises questions about the governance of food systems.
6.3.3 Preliminary Summary and Discussion
The two core concepts and their adaptations (flows of people and materials, and
telecoupling) provide useful analytical perspectives on urban-rural interrelations. As
yet, however, both concepts have mainly been applied in science and tested in a
number of empirical studies with different thematic fields (Stead 2002; Friis 2019).
Table 6.1 summarises the strengths and weaknesses of the different concepts in
terms of urban-rural relations, land management and governance.
Both concepts display the variety of urban-rural interrelations (represented by
flows). Whereas the Stead model and its adaption by Repp et al. 2012 focus on
the type and direction of functional interlinkages, the models’ explanatory power
regarding land use changes remains rather limited. Although the models make no
direct reference to land use management and governing urban-rural relations, they
enable subject areas, actors and programmes for urban-rural relations and regional
planning to be identified and operationalised by differentiating functions and flows
(Repp et al. 2012; Kasper and Giseke 2017). They are less complex and easier to
understand than the teleconnection and telecoupling approaches, making them more
feasible for practitioners.
The telecoupling model by Liu et al. (2013) is similar to Stead’s concept in
that different material and non-material flows are also an important element for
analysis. However, the telecoupling concept provides an additional analytical layer