In the fifth and final article in his series on learning from abroad, Robin Hambleton examines the transformation of the former industrial ‘rust-belt' city of Malmö, in Sweden, into a thriving eco town In the early 1990s, the bottom dropped out of the Malmö economy. The port city, located just across the water from the Danish capital, Copenhagen, had grown to become the third largest city in Sweden. In the 1960s, this successful industrial town had enormous shipyards which could rival any in the world. Now the docks and associated traditional industries have vanished. While the Malmö fall from economic grace mirrors the decline of many UK industrial cities it was probably more dramatic and sudden than many. In the three-year period 1992-94, the city lost one-third of its jobs. Anders Rubin, deputy mayor for housing and urban environment, who has been an elected councillor since 1985 and knows Malmö's industrial past well, put it graphically: ‘In three years, we lost everything. We went from industrial town to no industry town.' Now, a decade later, Malmö is lauded as one of the most far-sighted cities in Europe for sustainable development. In an astonishing turnaround the city has reinvented itself as an eco-friendly, multi-cultural city. Malmö has an array of imaginative environmental initiatives delivering new ways of responding to climate change, and is pioneering approaches and practices that will be of real interest to UK local authorities. Two examples. First, we can highlight the acclaimed new development in Western Harbour. This rapidly-expanding new neighbourhood is home to some of the most sophisticated architecture and urban design in Europe and, in line with demanding eco targets set down by the political leadership, it is served entirely by renewable energy from sun, wind, water, refuse and sewage. Second, to the south of the city, is the equally-impressive Augustenborg neighbourhood (see box). Here, an existing area with a population of around 3,000 has been transformed. The neighbourhood now has redesigned public spaces, upgraded homes, and Scandinavia's largest green roof system. It is important to note that the city council has, during the last 10 years, also welcomed an enormous influx of immigrants. Of the total population of 267,000, some 32% have a foreign background, that is, they have at least one foreign-born parent. Involving newcomers in decision-making is a key theme in the politics of the city. We can identify four main lessons from Malmö for other cities: l Bold political leadership In 1994, the city faced a crisis. Mr Rubin explains: ‘The disappearance of traditional industries was so fast and so complete that we had nothing to be defensive about. ‘We simply had to come up with a new approach. And we decided that the way forward was to create a modern city which was at the very top when it came to environmental issues'. As Ilmar Reepalu, leader of the city, put it: ‘Our city used to be viewed as a declining, former industrial town on the periphery of Sweden. Now we have positioned ourselves as a modern city at the centre of the Oresund region knowledge economy.' The construction of the magnificent Oresund Bridge, linking Malmö and Copenhagen, was, of course, a major strategic decision made at national level by the central governments of Sweden and Denmark, but local politicians pressed for it. Opened in 2000, the bridge, with its international rail and road links, is contributing to a reshaping of the socio-economic geography of the whole Oresund region. Within this new regional context, the political leadership has orchestrated the preparation and adoption of the Comprehensive plan for Malmö 2000. This sophisticated urban plan provides for mixed uses within the city. l Decentralised management of city services In 1996, Malmö City was divided into 10 geographical areas – each run by a city district department. In common with similar efforts to introduce decentralised management in many UK authorities in the 1990s, the aim is twofold – to develop and strengthen local democracy; and to improve public service responsiveness. This decentralised approach is relevant to current UK discussions of community empowerment since it reminds us that organisational redesign is critical. The decentralised system enables city government to gain a comprehensive view of the needs of the population in a given district, and gives citizens enhanced influence over conditions in their area. The four main areas covered by the city district departments are: 1) pre-school and compulsory school; 2) health and medical care; 3) individual and family care; and 4) leisure and culture. Decentralisation frees the political leaders to concentrate on strategic concerns. l Give officers space to innovate Politicians in Malmö trust their officers to get on with the job. Take the Western Harbour development, referred to earlier, for example. This is a stunning project where urban designers, architects, environmentalists, structural engineers and city planners have been let loose. Even without mentioning the astonishing ‘Turning torso' tower – a 54-storey, mixed-use skyscraper designed by Santiago Calatrava – the Western Harbour represents a breakthrough in sophisticated environmental design tuned to an urban context. Here, people on foot and cyclists have priority over cars, walls and roofs are covered with plants, and green roofs of moss-stonecrop sedum carpet are found on almost all properties. The extensive hydrological features manage rain runoff and support a broad range of birds, as well as creating a ‘city in a garden' feel. And the whole neighbourhood is carbon neutral, mainly because the district heating system stores heat down in the limestone beneath the neighbourhood in summer and draws on it in the winter. l Empower local communities This devolution to districts is complemented by local community empowerment approaches at neighbourhood level. Ekostaden Augustenborg – the Augustenborg Eco Neighbourhood – provides a splendid example. Built in 1948-1952, Augustenborg was one of the first of the post-war Swedish housing estates. As with many council estates in the UK, the area was a great success for the best part of 20 years. However, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, things started to change. By then, the housing units appeared small when compared with more modern developments, and the area was subject to regular flooding. Migration from Augustenborg left empty apartments and the area took on an abandoned feel. In 1998, as part of the new political strategy outlined earlier, the Ekostaden Augustenborg project was launched with the aim of transforming the area into a sustainable neighbourhood. Local residents have been encouraged to take a leading role in idea, development, design and implementation. n Robin Hambleton is professor of city leadership in the faculty of environment and technology at the University of the West of England, Bristol and director of Urban Answers.
