Perspectives on Transitions to Sustainability
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EEA Report No 25/2017 Perspectives on transitions to sustainability ISSN 1725-9177 EEA Report No 25/2017 Perspectives on transitions to sustainability Cover design: EEA Cover photo: © EEA Layout: EEA/Rosendhals Legal notice The contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of the European Commission or other institutions of the European Union. Neither the European Environment Agency nor any person or company acting on behalf of the Agency is responsible for the use that may be made of the information contained in this report. Copyright notice © European Environment Agency, 2018 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu). Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2018 ISBN 978-92-9213-939-1 ISSN 1725-9177 doi: 10.2800/332443 Environmental production This publication is printed according to high environmental standards. REG.NO. DK-000244 European Environment Agency Kongens Nytorv 6 1050 Copenhagen K Denmark Tel.: +45 33 36 71 00 Web: eea.europa.eu Enquiries: eea.europa.eu/enquiries Contents Contents Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................... 5 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 6 1.1 Background .............................................................................................................................. 6 1.2 Key messages from the five perspectives ............................................................................9 1.3 Reflections on the five perspectives ...................................................................................15 1.4 Steering transitions: implications for policy, governance and knowledge .....................24 2 Transformations in socio-ecological systems .................................................................. 28 2.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................28 2.2 Conceptual background and assumptions ........................................................................29 2.3 Understanding and conceptualising transformations to sustainability .........................32 2.4 Core drivers and actors ........................................................................................................37 2.5 Empirical examples ...............................................................................................................40 2.6 Strengths and weaknesses of the approach ......................................................................42 2.7 Knowledge for transformation of socio-ecological systems ............................................43 3 Socio-technical transitions to sustainability ................................................................... 45 3.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................45 3.2 Conceptual background and assumptions ........................................................................45 3.3 Understanding and conceptualising transitions ...............................................................49 3.4 Empirical examples ...............................................................................................................57 3.5 Governance of transitions ....................................................................................................61 3.6 Strengths and weaknesses ...................................................................................................66 3.7 Knowledge for socio-technical transitions .........................................................................67 4 Socio-economic transformations: insights for sustainability ........................................ 70 4.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................70 4.2 Conceptual background and assumptions ........................................................................71 4.3 Understanding and conceptualising transformations ......................................................76 4.4 Governance ............................................................................................................................88 4.5 Strengths and weaknesses ...................................................................................................92 4.6 Knowledge for socio-economic transformations ..............................................................93 Perspectives on transitions to sustainability 3 Contents 5 Action-oriented perspectives on transitions and system innovation .......................... 95 5.1 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................95 5.2 Conceptual background .......................................................................................................96 5.3 Understanding transitions — case studies and academic analysis ................................97 5.4 Knowledge and governance for transitions .....................................................................111 5.5 Strengths and weaknesses of the action-oriented approach .......................................115 6 Integrated assessment modelling approaches to analysing systemic change.......... 118 6.1 Conceptual background and assumptions ......................................................................118 6.2 Conceptualisation of transitions .......................................................................................121 6.3 Examples of IAM applications ............................................................................................125 6.4 Governance ..........................................................................................................................132 6.5 Strengths and weaknesses of IAMs ..................................................................................134 References ............................................................................................................................... 137 4 Perspectives on transitions to sustainability Acknowledgements Acknowledgements This report was prepared by the European van Vuuren (Utrecht University) and Paul Weaver Environment Agency (EEA), based primarily on (Groundswell Research Associates). the work of the external authors responsible for chapters 2-6. The project was managed Others by Michael Asquith and Tobias Lung (EEA). The project managers would like to thank all those Lead authors who provided critical and constructive comments and feedback, in particular Lorenzo Benini, Hans Michael Asquith (EEA), Julia Backhaus (Maastricht Bruyninckx, Cathy Maguire, Jock Martin, Anita University), Frank Geels (University of Manchester), Pirc-Velkavrh, Teresa Ribeiro, Stefan Speck and Ami Golland (University College London), Andries Hof Vincent Viaud (EEA), Andy Jordan (University of East (Utrecht University), René Kemp (Maastricht University), Anglia), Per Mickwitz (SYKE) and Sybille van den Hove Tobias Lung (EEA), Karen O’Brien (University of Oslo), (Bridging for Sustainability), as well as participants Fred Steward (University of Westminster), Tim Strasser at the EEA workshop on 'Transitions, policy and (Maastricht University), Linda Sygna (cChange), Detlef governance' on 21 November 2017. Perspectives on transitions to sustainability 5 Introduction 1 Introduction 1.1 Background ten-fold ('factor 10') improvements in environmental performance (EC, 2011a; UNEP, 2011a). Systemic challenges and responses Against this backdrop, SOER 2015 concluded that The European Environment Agency's last five-yearly Europe must go beyond incremental improvements in report on the European environment, The European environmental performance. Instead, it must find ways environment — state and outlook 2015 (SOER 2015), to achieve fundamental transitions or transformations presented a mixed picture of the European in core systems, entailing 'profound changes in environment's past trends and future prospects. dominant institutions, practices, technologies, policies, Reflecting on progress in the 40 years since the lifestyles and thinking' (EEA, 2015). These include initiation of European environmental policy the consumption-production systems that meet key in the 1970s, SOER 2015 concluded that Europe human needs, such as for food, mobility and energy. has achieved important successes in reducing But there is also a need for fundamental change in environmental pressures. In many parts of Europe, other systems, such as urban, fiscal and financial the local environment is in a better state than at any systems, and the knowledge systems supporting point since the start of industrialisation. In addition to decision-making. improving environmental conditions, environmental policy has delivered clear benefits for human health When published, SOER 2015 represented the and well-being, as well as driving innovation and job European Environment Agency's most thorough creation (EEA, 2015). examination to date of the systemic nature of Europe's environmental challenges. Yet its conclusions were not Despite these achievements, SOER 2015 concluded that wholly novel. Rather, they marked a contribution to a Europe