Doughnut Economics as a Strategic Compass

Report: Doughnut Economics as a Strategic Compass

How municipal strategists can use Doughnut Economics for impact-oriented transformation 

This report led by PD, available in German and in English, explores questions like 'How can municipalities make use of Doughnut Economics?', 'In what ways can Doughnut Economics be incorporated into related concepts like the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?' , and 'What lessons can municipal strategists learn from pioneering urban areas in different parts of the world?'

With the aid of two case studies – the cities of Bad Nauheim and Krefeld  – this report in the PD Impulse series of papers illustrates how Doughnut Economics can transcend the limitations of traditional economic models. Issues around sustainability and societal fairness are consistently approached as parts of an interlinked whole so that municipal management and decision-making structures can be tailored in a strategic and impact-oriented way. The key ingredients of this approach are that it invites holistic thinking, offers sustainability-related strategies and provides participatory impetus to civil society entities.

In cooperation with the German Institute of Urban Affairs (Difu) and with input from 14 cities across Germany, PD has carried out research into the potential transferability of the Doughnut Economics recipe to the German municipal landscape, but the lessons learnt could be applied to municipalities around the world. The overall conclusion is that this approach represents an effective communication tool that fosters integrated and effects-oriented thinking, strengthening the culture of participation in urban contexts and reinforcing evidence-based management of municipalities. To support this conclusion, the PD report had drawn on examples taken by cities as diverse as Nanaimo in Canada  as well as Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Portland, Oregon.

The research report includes:
-learnings, reflections and recommendations for city-scale impact-oriented management with Doughnut Economics
-five international case-studies and insights from their experiences (Nanaimo, Copenhagen, Cornwall, Amsterdam, Portland). 
-two in-depth case studies from two German pilot-cities: Bad Nauheim and Krefeld 
-Doughnut Economics in relation to other sustainability frameworks (like SDGs) 

The report is available for free download:
In English: https://www.pd-g.de/en/pd-impulse/doughnut-economics-as-a-strategic-compass
In German: www.pd-g.de/pd-impulse-reihe/pd-impulse-donut-oekonomie

PD is a German 100 percent state owned  public consulting company, headquartered in Berlin. Feel free to contact us: katharina.schlueter@pd-g.de