New Human-landscape Relations in the Face of Global Environmental Crises: A Governance Scoping Statement Based On the Danish Agri-food Transition

Abstract

The current global crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, waterway pollution, and land-system change need far-reaching collective action, with major implications for future human-landscape relations. However, whereas there has been a radical acceleration in green solutions brought forward within science and technology, less attention has been paid to their social integration and long-term sustainability. Based on experiences with a large-scale Danish agri-food transition expert scenario exercise, this commentary scopes ideas for further research on how to accelerate a socially sensitive agri-food transition with clear visionary goals for radically new and sustainable human-landscape relations and forms of governance. We argue that this should be a process of making liveable landscapes, countryside spaces and cities, and one that 1) builds on trust, public embedment, and co-creation; 2) regards humans as part of nature; and 3) is inclusive and fair—locally and globally.

Keywords

• adaptive governance
• agri-food transition
• democratic participation
• human-landscape relations, multiscale solutions
• collective action problems