Neglected developments undermining sustainability transitions

Jochen Markard*, Harro van Lente, Peters Wells, Xiao-Shan Yap

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Sustainability transitions are key to addressing grand challenges confronting humanity, yet there are many developments that undermine this endeavor. For example, new products and industries emerge that exacerbate existing challenges, instead of mitigating them. Context systems such as policy making, finance, education or independent journalism, which provide critical resources for transitions, transform in ways that hamper their ability to support sustainability transitions. We argue that transitions research needs explicitly to confront unfavorable developments in order to create a broader repertoire of strategies, including precautionary policies, to better orchestrate sustainability transitions.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)39-41
Number of pages3
JournalEnvironmental innovation and societal transitions
Volume41
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2021

Keywords

  • Critical context systems
  • ENERGY
  • GOVERNANCE
  • PATHWAYS
  • POLITICS
  • POWER
  • Precautionary transition policy
  • SYSTEMS
  • Unsustainable shifts

Cite this