About the Project

Sustainable Pathways 2 is about integrating state-of-the-art research with policy to enable better decisions in Spatial Planning.
The project runs from Oct 2009 to Sep 2015
Addresses long-term integrated planning and resource management issues characterised by:
- Multi-scale
- Spatially explicit
- Multiple actors, values, views and possible outcomes
- High uncertainty
- Adaptive management: continuous response to change and improvement
- Integration of four aspects of well-beings

Applies
- Systems thinking: Identifies linkages, feedbacks and (unintended) consequences
- Action research

The output will be an integrative (economic, social, environmental) scenario modelling capacity in NZ to enable planners and communities to more fully appreciate options for the future of their cities and regions.

Uses an integrated and dynamics systems thinking approach

SP2, funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation, has been contracted to Ecological Economics Research New Zealand (EERNZ).

Key partners are Market Economics Ltd (MEL), Research Institute for Knowledge Systems (RIKS), Waikato Regional Council (WRC), Auckland Council (AC) and Greater Wellington (GW).

This $4m research programme builds on our previous FRST programme ‘Sustainable Pathways' and the EW led FRST programme 'Creating Futures'. There are three parallel research streams:

Mediated Modelling (led by EERNZ)
Spatial Dynamic Modelling (led by MEL)
Developing and Integrating Dynamic and Spatial Modelling tools into Urban Planning Practice (led by WRC)

Mediated Modelling

Mediated Modelling (MM) works with stakeholder groups to combines the best of ‘participatory and consensus based approaches to decision-making’ with the best of ‘dynamic systems modelling’. Led by Associate Professor van den Belt this research scopes to ensure the research models and management models closely align with end-users needs.

Spatial Dynamic Modelling

This stream of research provides a Spatial Decision Support system for Auckland and Wellington urban areas. This will bring together existing models such as population demographics, economics, labour, transport, land use, energy and environmental (energy, water etc) so that the various impacts on land use change are considered interactively.

Developing and Integrating Dynamic and Spatial Modelling tools into Urban Planning Practice

This is Council-led research to ensure Scenario Modelling is embedding into Urban Planning Practice and urban planners can translate future visions for their regions into strategic long-term plans, using these new modelling tools.