Where We Live Next
- Start date
- 2021
- Departments
- Policy
- Programme status
- Ongoing
- Programmes
- Sustainable Futures
Pages in this section
A place-sensitive approach for environmental sustainability
This programme has focused on three strands: nature recovery, energy transitions and sustainable homes. In each case, attention has been on the importance of facilitating place-led and spatially appropriate policy interventions that can meet community needs.
A place-sensitive approach intends to capture how national and devolved government (and other layers of government without strong connections to place) can play a vital role in facilitating place-focused environmental sustainability policies and outcomes. Place-sensitivity defines a cross-cutting national policy approach to facilitate place-appropriate activity in ways that cut across policy silos.
The approach is underpinned by four key interconnected features: knowledge, language, participation and multi-level partnerships. Attending to these features, national government can formulate policies that are more flexible to different needs and better embedded in place, as well as create points of reflection to strengthen and augment existing place-based activities.
- The main findings, are set out in our final policy report.
- We provide a series of supporting evidence papers that elaborate on four features of a place-sensitive approach. These can be found in our Where we live next evidence hub.
The project is led by a Working Group that includes Professor Jane Wills FBA (University of Exeter), Professor Susan Owens FBA (University of Cambridge), Professor Tim O'Riordan FBA (University of East Anglia).
Evidence Hub
Supplementary Evidence papers
These supporting evidence papers, elaborate on four features of a place-sensitive approach. The insights in these papers unpack commonalities and differences, highlighting nuances as well as the factors that might be overlooked in the policy process.
- Knowledge as a critical starting point
- Language and narratives that resonate and mobilises
- Participation that is people-centred
- Multi-level, cross-sectoral partnerships that promote collaboration
Policy Insight Case Studies
The four policy insight case studies provide a richer nuance and depth to the themes of the programme which include factors of knowledge, education and language, engagement and participation, and voices and scales of governance.
- People, Place, and Planet: Place-Sensitive Participatory Policy Development for a Just Transition to Net Zero
- Planning for Future Generations
- UK Climate Commissions and Place-Based Climate Action: Evaluating Policies, Governance, Networks and Scales
- Warmer Homes: How can Grant Subsidy Schemes Improve Engagement with Participants?
Policy publications
A place-sensitive approach for environmental sustainability
Policy Report
This report presents the findings and conclusions of the British Academy’s Where We Live Next policy programme. It demonstrates the benefits and challenges of attending to place when creating and delivering policies. It proposes a cross-cutting framework to enable national policy to work in place-appropriate ways, cutting through policy silos.
Understanding the role of place in environmental sustainability
Evidence Report
This report is an evidence synthesis based on commissioned work that brings together insights to help stakeholders better understand the role of place and its application to environmental sustainability. In doing so, it examines how engaging with people in the places where they live leads to better and more effective and efficient policymaking in practice, reflecting the diversity of communities and local environments.
Place-related work
Place-sensitive understandings of nature recovery
This summary paper brings together some of the highlights of this set of papers. It is structured around four core themes that cut across the series: place-sensitive delivery and governance; effective participation; cultural understandings and creative practice; and opportunities for innovation.
Where We Live Now: Making the Case for Place-based policy
This paper sets out the key findings of the Where We Live Now project, from a set of roundtable workshops in Manchester, Cornwall, Cardiff and London. These ‘Productivity+’ roundtables provided an opportunity to consider the qualitative analysis of, and creative solutions to, place-based growth, moving beyond solely economic concepts to encompass well-being, culture and the environment.
Where We Live Now: Perspectives on Place
A collection of opinion pieces, case studies, poetry and imagery, towards a better understanding of the concept of place, its impact on people and relationships, and practical approaches towards policy.
