How can the Transformative Research Methodology be Applied to Regional Governance?

The transformative research methodology has become a widely recognised approach to increasing the impact of research on sustainability transitions. Methods such as real-world laboratories, experiments and interventions enable scientists, stakeholders and citizens to collaborate. However, this methodology has mostly been applied at a local level or to specific spatial issues in neighbourhoods or selected sites. This raises the question of how far the transformative research methodology could also be useful at more abstract scales, such as regions or metropolitan areas, and what adaptations or modifications would be required to contribute to regional or metropolitan governance. In the case of the Metropolitan Region of Nuremberg, this question was addressed in the 'Climate Pact 2030 Plus' research project on the energy transition (BMFTR, 2023–2027). The Climate Pact provides an ambitious vision for regional climate policy and has set up Real World Labs in the fields of energy provision and building renovation to explore different approaches to stakeholder collaboration. Experiments and pilot projects were chosen for implementation, aiming at typological solutions that can be transferred to the metropolitan region. In addition, a monitoring and reporting tool enables reflection and evaluation. Against the backdrop of its theoretical framework, the paper outlines the methodological approach adopted for the case study and details the experiences of its implementation during the initial phase of the project. Building on this, it considers to what extent sustainable transitions in metropolitan regions can benefit from transformative research, and which restrictions and methodological adaptations need to be taken into account to integrate it into transformative regional governance.