A comparative lifecycle assessment (CLCA) was undertaken to determine the environmental effect or impact of teleworking compared to office-based work in a corporate setting in Australia. Teleworking was demonstrated to have smaller environmental effects than office-based working, but only under certain conditions. Teleworking was more beneficial if an employee travels ≥30 km each workday. The more

Demand response (DR) is an innovation emerging at the intersection of the energy and information and communications technology sectors. This paper aims to investigate the drivers of—and differences in—business model innovation (BMI) behaviours of firms operating in these two interacting industries. Results from 22 semi-structured interviews with representatives of Finnish DR companies show that external

The sustainability transitions research field continues to broaden rapidly, engaging scholars from a wide variety of disciplinary backgrounds. As highlighted in the STRN research agenda, transitions research relies on a broad range of methodological approaches; yet the methodological diversity of transitions studies has remained somewhat limited. In this article, we investigate if this verdict still

The use of participatory modelling approaches in sustainability transition studies has been limited despite its potential contributions to transitions research. In this article, a methodological framework was designed based on a Participatory Systems Mapping (PSM) approach to structure and frame sustainability problems in transition management processes. The framework comprises three phases: 1) transition

The transport sector accounts for 27 % of total CO2 emissions in the EU, with almost half of these being attributed to passenger cars and the automotive industry. In order to meet the Paris Agreement 1.5 °C target, these figures call for interventionist policies that go beyond individual consumer choice and transform industrial sectors. The article conceptually elaborates on the advancements in transformation

With the diffusion of digital technologies, new forms of sharing have emerged called ‘the sharing economy’. Digitalization has been the enabler for covering a broad range of sharable resources (technical aspect of sharing) and for operating beyond the limits of small groups and personal relationships (social aspect of sharing). This two-fold digital transition of sharing has enabled unprecedented efficiency

Because of the urgency of accelerating transitions, we examine the emerging understanding of the concept of ‘disruption’ in the context of sustainability transition studies to critically assess its value, pitfalls and potentials. By conducting a qualitative systematic review of 47 articles, we analyse how disruption is seen in this literature and what is being disrupted. We identify four non-technical

As energy transitions advance through the introduction of renewable energy production and new types of energy demands, expectations for more flexible electricity consumption has risen on agendas among system designers and scholars. Social scientists have followed this development through studies of technological visions and users of new flexibility techniques (e.g. demand-side management, pricing,

Although research on sustainability transitions has addressed transnational linkages, little attention has yet been paid to the international diffusion and transfer of public policies. Transitions studies and research on policy transfer have had sparse interaction thus far. This viewpoint argues that the two fields can enrich each other through new research topics and findings on the influencing factors

What is needed for the private sector to successfully establish itself as a key player in delivering sustainable sanitation in the Global South? The present paper aims to offer some answers to this through the case of Peepoople AB, a company delivering a single-use biodegradable toilet bag in informal settlements. The company aimed to but failed in combining sustainable development of sanitation and

Like many countries, since the 1980s, Australia has introduced a range of government policies to support the development of a biofuels industry. Despite growth in the use of biofuels over this period industry development has not progressed to the extent seen in many of these other countries. This paper uses the technological innovation systems perspective to guide an historical event analysis of the

Empirical research on the diffusion of environmental product and service innovations has significant limits: almost all investigations focus on just a single sector or technology, usually energy, and concern a small number of diffusion cases. Therefore, it is hardly possible to generalize across sectors and to identify potential differences between sectors. We address this research gap with an investigation

With the growing attention to political dimensions of sustainability transitions (STs), researchers have shown interest in theoretical frameworks from policy studies and sociology. A framework that has growing popularity is the theory of strategic action fields (SAF) as developed by Fligstein and McAdam (2011; 2012). This review shows 1) how the integrated and holistic approach of SAF theory can contribute

Why do some communities develop better environmental governance outcomes than others? Past research tends to focus on national governments, explaining how states with better environmental governance outcomes tend to have more resources, such as stronger government capacity, or fewer obstacles, like fewer ties to major polluting industries. This study tests whether the social capital and community-building

How does the spatial context shape early innovation trajectories and how will this influence the directionality of transitions? We elaborate these questions for the case of transitions in personal mobility, focusing on emerging trajectories of electric vehicles and autonomous driving. We analyze how the dynamics depend on whether innovation and transition strategies are primarily geared towards urban

Governments worldwide have formulated visions of a transition toward a bio-based economy (bioeconomy). These visions to move beyond the exploitation of fossil resources complement the United Nation’s sustainability goals such as climate change mitigation. Different factors will shape and foster the successful transition to a knowledge-based bioeconomy; among those factors, entrepreneurial activity

Once transitions progress beyond the start-up phase, niche technologies diffuse more widely to generate important knock-on effects in a focal sector. This entails a need for moving beyond niches to embrace a 'whole system perspective'. In the power sector, this perspective puts electricity networks in a more central position. This paper analyses how the governance of power networks is challenged by

Deliberate technology phase-out is being recognised as a viable policy option to weaken incumbent socio-technical configurations. At the same time, phase-out as a phenomenon has not been the focus of much attention in innovation studies and science and technology studies, where interest in emergence of technologies dominates. This is puzzling because phase-outs of socio-technical configurations are

While the concept of ‘just transitions’ has become more and more prominent in academic and popular discussions of sustainability transition, these conceptions are often framed in purely economic terms, and focus on the economic impact on communities, regions, and nation-states. We argue that a broader conception of justice in transitions, and in particular energy transitions, is required. Questions

In this paper, we offer a comprehensive and interdisciplinary review of ‘failure’ in transitions research. What is meant by failure, and is the community biased against it? How is failure explained through different perspectives? How can failures be addressed more appropriately in transitions studies? We synthesize a large body of evidence spanning transitions studies, innovation studies, science and

The uptake of electric vans in professional enterprises has been slow, and the interest in electric mobility is low compared to that of private consumers. To understand critical barriers, resistance, motivations and drivers we follow the implementation of e-vans (EVs) in crafts and services enterprises that have tried to replace some or all of their traditional vans with EVs. Based on a social practice

Political decisions and trends regarding coal use for electricity generation developed differently in the UK and Germany, despite being subject to relatively similar climate protection targets and general political and economic conditions. The UK agreed on a coal phase-out by 2024. In Germany, a law schedules a coal phase-out by 2038 at the latest. This paper investigates reasons for the different

Understanding socio-technical transitions, let alone managing them, is complicated. This is especially the case for many practitioners, who are commonly not well-versed in the language of transition studies but deal with transition problems on a daily basis. To make the academic knowledge on socio-technical transitions available to practitioners, we introduce the transition model canvas (TMC) as a

Access to finance is a well-recognized barrier to scaling up renewable energy. Using the case studies of Germany and China, this research explores how governments spur renewable energy deployment by examining the availability, costs, and modes of financing. It compares the major financiers, their interactions, and government policy instruments, around renewable financing in both countries. The research

Despite the challenges of decarbonisation faced by the shipping sector, this topic has rarely been addressed in sustainability transitions studies. This paper questions common views of established firms as agents resisting change and broadens discussions on the role of incumbents and strategic reorientation. Using the dynamic capabilities approach, we provide a deeper understanding of firms’ strategic

The recently developed Deep Transitions framework has so far been mainly used to explore the first deep transition towards industrial modernity. This paper looks at a potential second deep transition towards a circular economy, which is hoped to lead to a more sustainable global economic system. Our focus is on exploring the role of the EU in developing and diffusing this emerging set of rules. We

In order to achieve the UNFCCC Paris Agreement goals, climate policies worldwide require considerable ratcheting-up. Policy sequencing provides a framework for analysing policy process dynamics that facilitate ratcheting-up. We apply a sequencing perspective to two key EU climate and energy policies, the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), to comparatively test

Transitions are processes of major change and often come with conflict. There has been limited attention for the complex and multi-dimensional nature of conflict and its relation to transformative change. To capture this complexity, we use the case of ridesharing in Indonesia and the dynamics of conflict that accompany the emergence of digital innovations in mobility services. We use the notion of

The success of environmental innovations and sustainability transitions critically depends on market formations and diffusion processes. As of today, the geography of transitions literature provides suitable terms and case study evidence that these processes are highly regional phenomena. However, pertinent conceptual frameworks such as the multi-level perspective, technological innovation systems

Citizen projects for electric carsharing are a relatively recent phenomenon in Germany which can contribute to the sustainable transition of existing mobility regimes. This article aims to outline the status quo of electric carsharing cooperatives in Germany, explore the niche-conditions in which such projects can develop and analyze intermediate mechanisms which promote their geographical dissemination

Living labs are defined as both an approach and an arena for supporting experimentation in natural settings with a wide range of actors. In this article we explore the potential and limits of living labs for analysing and supporting the local transition of agri-food systems. We base on a bibliometric analysis and insights from our transdisciplinary research team’s experience with agroecological transition

The agency of incumbents has gained increasing attention in the study of transitions. Recent studies show that besides being inert and resistant to change, incumbents can also support transitions. We focus on the agency of a particular type of incumbent, grid operators. In several countries, these actors play an active role in institutional change in the energy domain. At the same time, they are engaging

Regional energy transitions are dynamic processes. In ideal-typical phase perspectives, transitions undergo ‘initiation’, ‘expansion’ and ‘consolidation’ phases, a linear progression towards increasing stability of the newly introduced institutions and technologies. This paper focuses on the so far underexplored fragility that may occur in the course of this process. Due to their multi-scalar embedding

Peer-to-peer (P2P) car sharing is a sociotechnical innovation that could facilitate a transition to a more sustainable mobility system. Understanding the factors hampering adoption of this innovation is of outmost importance. Whereas past studies have expounded on the advantages and disadvantages that potential adopters see in these schemes, this study takes a different route and studies individuals’

Sharing goods and services has been promoted as fostering more sustainable consumption. In this paper, we explore sharing in a middle-class neighbourhood in a Norwegian city. We ask what influences and frames neighbours’ current sharing practices, contending that Polanyi’s notions of exchange systems, specifically reciprocity and redistribution, yield valuable insights for our study. We show that reciprocal

Understanding “systemic problems” or “blocking mechanisms” in emerging technologies and industries has been a major issue in Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) research. Despite this literature’s long tradition, we show that a more accurate definition enhances the TIS framework explanatory power for a higher diversity of empirical cases. We posit that conceptual improvement depends on addressing

The power of incumbent actors to affect sustainability transitions is increasingly recognised as a central issue associated with systemic change. However, incumbent’s approaches and the outcome of their influence is rarely examined in academic literature. Using a novel approach which combines the lens of ‘discourse coalitions’ with an explicitly critical discursive stance, in which the coalition’s

In this paper, we study sustainability transitions in agriculture and highlight several elements that distinguish transition dynamics in this sector from those more frequently studied in the socio-technical transitions literature. Our assumption is that ecological dimensions of agricultural systems affect transition dynamics. We illustrate this by focusing on two central characteristics related to

Much hope has been placed on China’s decisions regarding low-carbon stimulus following COVID-19. Analysis of China’s recent Government Work Report suggests that while a repeat of recovery measures focused on high-emissions infrastructure following the 2008 global recession is not in the cards, a Chinese Green New Deal is not in sight either. Much investment is flowing to fossil fuel industries, whilst

In the quest for energy transition pathways, energy regions have become the instrument of choice in peripheralized Austrian regions. This paper unveils why “locked-in" regions usually struggling with systemic change can still create alternative paths. Based on the bricolage concept and the ASID heuristic, we develop a framework to examine the transition processes of three Austrian energy regions (Güssing

Car-centric transportation systems are widely regarded as unsustainable. E-bikes are an emerging technology with potential to strengthen sustainability transitions. Little is known about the role of governance stakeholders in shaping e-bike technology uptake/rejection. This qualitative study draws upon theories of socio-technical transitions, disruptive technology and strategic niche management to

This paper addresses the question of how alignment dynamics between niche and regime actors shape niche acceleration. We develop a conceptual framework that focuses on the role of expectations as a necessary precondition and even as a key proxy for strategic collaboration between niche and regime actors. Based on actors’ expectations, we conceptualise three alignment patterns of strong, medium-strong

Studies and media attention suggest that the number of vegetarians and vegans in Austria and other Western European countries is increasing. Because certain convictions act as triggers that change dietary patterns, vegetarianism and veganism seem to be connected with the concept of social innovation. Using a mixed-mode sampling strategy, a sample that included 508 vegans, vegetarians, omnivores and

Bike sharing has the potential to contribute to more sustainable urban mobility. Companies providing this service need to generate legitimacy for their venture when entering new cities. They may have to change formal and informal institutions in cities they want to operate. In this paper we explore how and why companies’ institutional strategies differ across cities. We compare strategies of emerging

Sustainability transitions are commonly considered impossible without regime change. Theoretical work on regime change has mainly focused on niches and landscapes and less on change ‘from within’. Empirical analysis helps theorising endogenous regime change. Conceptualising regimes as semi-coherent entities composed of multiple ‘institutional logics’, we analyse the endogenous regime change in Dutch

Innovations accompanying transitions often prompt institutional change if they do not match with existing institutions. Transition studies started to incorporate institutional dynamics into their research, but efforts hitherto remain underdeveloped. In this paper, we systematically review the institutional entrepreneurship literature. Based on a reading of 153 empirical cases, we identify trends and

Pathways of transition differ across countries, industrial sectors, firms and technologies, but little is known about the reasons for these differences and macroeconomic consequences. I show theoretically how differences in transition patterns and macroeconomic side effects can be explained by the characteristics of competing technologies. Competing technologies are characterized by their relative

This study explores the local municipality as an important arena for developing and implementing initiatives for a transition to long-term sustainable development. It focuses on institutional conditions that support the integration of ‘radical’, transition-oriented perspectives and ideas (i.e. perspectives stressing the need for changed social power relations and ‘other’ norms and visions for the future

In 2014 Argentina has adopted a new policy strategy aiming at the diffusion of renewable energies. In this paper, we analyze the associated policy making process and the impacts of the emerging policy mix on socio-technical change in the Argentinean electricity sector, with a particular focus on the development of a national renewables industry. Our analysis is based on a novel analytical framework

Climate change is increasingly governed through local configurations that are characterised by voluntary action, weak institutions and uncoordinated efforts. The impermanent and iterative nature of such initiatives makes it difficult to determine their enduring and potentially transformative impact. This review systematises how the sustainability transitions field has approached temporary initiatives

The energy transition is increasingly high stakes, defined by the participation of new actors, and – above all – political. Renewable energy communities (RECs) are electricity system actors defined by local control and motivations beyond profit maximization. There has been much speculation about the potential impact of RECs on political systems, but little empirical investigation. This study examines

Our modern society is characterized by increasing diversity and complexity, leading to overwhelming challenges like climate change or environmental degradation. These problems are posing impracticable ethical dilemmas and conflicts of interest among an expanding range of institutional logics. While this cognitive, ideological, scientific, and political diversity can represent a major barrier for the

Renewable energy and social justice advocates are organizing around the potential for community-based democratic organizations to promote more decentralized, sustainable, and just societies. Within this movement, consumer-owned electric utilities are often seen as central actors. Yet, there has been little systematic investigation into why integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) varies across

Mega-droughts can cause disruption to the affected society sparking a transition. We explore the causes and effects of the 2015−2016 mega-drought in Colombia. Using the multi-level perspective as a framework, we found that the mega-drought sparked an energy transition in Colombia whose dynamics were impacted both by the institutionalization of niches as well as the ability to predict the next drought

Identifying the risks that could impact a low-carbon transition is a prerequisite to assessing and managing these risks. We systematically characterise risks associated with decarbonisation pathways in fifteen case studies conducted in twelve countries around the world. We find that stakeholders from business, government, NGOs, and others supplied some 40 % of these risk inputs, significantly widening

In the last decade, a new strand of energy and climate research emerged that links quantitative models and socio-technical transitions theories or frameworks. Linking the two enables capturing the co-evolution of society, technology, the economy and the environment. We systematically review this literature (N = 44) and describe the papers’ trends, scope, temporal and spatial foci, and methodological

Intermediaries can potentially help reduce institutional lock-ins that slow down sustainability transitions by influencing policy processes, because of their connectedness and often high level of legitimacy. In this paper, we analysed intermediaries seeking to accelerate the diffusion of wooden multi-storey construction (WMC) in Finland, their roles and engagement in policy processes. Increasing the

Sociotechnical transitions are complex processes that imply far-reaching technological, institutional and cultural changes. Transition intermediaries have emerged as potentially powerful actors and entities to speed up transitions. As much previous literature on intermediaries in transitions has focused on emergence, in this special issue, we focus on intermediaries in the acceleration phase of transitions