Circular metropolis and local food strategy: instrument of urban sustainability transition? Case studies Bristol and Vancouver

The globally dominant food system—from production and processing, to trade, consumption, and disposal—has stressful impacts on the environment as well as the socioeconomic system. Thus, the sustainable transition of the food system is a core objective for this century. With its intersections to land use, mobility, quality of life, urban society, and many more the food system is widely connected to urban development and spatial planning. Against this background, planning has identified the food system as key field of sustainability transition on a local, resp., regional level. As a strategic tool, food strategies have become increasingly promising to contribute to a widely accepted transition of the urban food system. Against the theoretical background of transition theory and multilevel perspective, this chapter discusses restrictions and supporting factors of local food strategies. Case studies are Bristol, United Kingdom, and Vancouver, Canada.