Territorial governance refers to a new culture of power exercised in the management of territory at different geographic scales and among different levels of public administration. The underlying idea behind using territorial governance as a tool for transformative change lies in its ability to facilitate more integrated and inclusive approaches to the challenge of local, urban, or metropolitan development, providing more focused and shared responses to specific needs and challenges.

Some examples of how territorial governance can be a catalyst for transformative change are:

Local specificity - Territorial governance recognizes that different territories and communities have unique challenges, resources, advantages, and opportunities. By making decision-making processes more collaborative and shared, empowering local authorities and other stakeholders, policies and other responses can be tailored to the specific needs of each locality.

Cooperative approach - It encourages the active participation of local communities, stakeholders, and authorities in decision-making processes. By involving all those most directly affected by policies, territorial governance ensures that solutions are more inclusive, sustainable, and adapted to local realities.

Multilevel Governance - It recognizes the interdependence between different levels of government (local, regional, national) and promotes collaboration and coordination among them. This multi-level governance approach promotes synergies, avoids duplication of efforts, and maximizes the impact of interventions.

Innovation and experimentation - Territorial governance encourages experimentation and innovation at the local level. By providing space for the experimentation of new ideas and approaches, it allows learning from both successes and failures, leading to the development of adaptable and responsive policies.

Mitigation of territorial tensions - Territorial governance mechanisms can help resolve conflicts and tensions resulting from competing interests and perspectives. By facilitating dialogue, negotiation, and consensus-building processes, they promote peaceful coexistence and cooperation among different stakeholders.

We believe that territorial governance, corresponding to an emerging framework of power values, constitutes a powerful instrument for transformative change, promoting ownership, participation, innovation, and collaboration at the local level in response to complex challenges. By empowering communities and local authorities in this way, it contributes to the building of more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable societies.

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Territorial Governance as a Tool for Transformative Change