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

We explore the conditions critical for the enactment of ambitious local energy transition in a post-socialist renewable energy policy environment that constrains local initiatives. We analyse the island of Krk (Croatia) as a unique case of shared vision of 100 % renewable energy in post-socialist countries. We apply Kingdon’s multiple-streams approach to advance the understanding of policy change in

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

Systemic intermediaries play an important role in shaping socio-technical transitions. However, there is hardly any knowledge about contextual factors that enhance or inhibit systemic intermediary activities in transnational settings. This study draws on a case study of a European intermediary in the energy transition field. The intermediary has been active in both transition-progressive and less transition-oriented

Understanding how policy and policy-making processes can influence the speed and direction of socio-technical change is an important, yet underexplored research agenda in the field of sustainability transitions. This paper is the first application of a novel analytical framework which conceptualises the co-evolutionary dynamics of policy mixes and socio-technical systems, by complementing the sustainability

Literature on sustainability transitions advocates the institutionalisation of niche innovations and assigns an important role for institutional work in this respect. Previous work has conceptually and empirically substantiated a range of strategies that institutional entrepreneurs perform. However, little is known about how institutional entrepreneurs engage differently in institutional strategies

This article examines energy related experiments suggested and outlined in a co-creative Energy Transition Arena in Finland in 2017 with participating experts from various spheres of society. A transition arena is a process for engaging stakeholders in systemic transitions, and experiments are an important measure for enhancing transition and mechanisms of change. We apply network analysis and use

Conceptualizations and articulations of ‘the future’ play a persistent and important role in discussions about technology adoption and the broader domain of sustainability transitions. The Sociology of Expectations, part of the transitions and science and technology studies literature, specifically focusses on the performative role that desirable expectations play in the development and marketing of

How do systemic intermediaries obtain legitimate roles for themselves in innovation systems and transition processes? This is still an understudied question in the study of systemic intermediaries. We start from the observation that roles, or positions, are not given, but emerge in interactions as a negotiated set of rights and obligations. Inspired by positioning theory, which has its roots in symbolic

Participatory modeling – the involvement of stakeholders in the modeling process – can support various objectives, such as stimulating learning processes or promoting mutual understanding of stakeholders. Participatory modeling approaches could therefore be useful for the governance of transitions, but a systematic account of potential application areas of participatory modeling methods in transition

Scholars of sustainability transition have given much attention to local experiments in ‘protected spaces’ where system innovations can be initiated and where learning about those innovations can occur. However, local project participants’ conceptions of success are often different to those of transition scholars; where scholars see a successful learning experience, participants may see a project which

Much has been written on sustainability transitions, yet all around us unsustainable developments remain rife, and threaten to offset the progress made in other areas. This viewpoint argues that transitions scholarship should widen its scope to consider unsustainable trends, which it has tended to neglect to date. We argue that there is merit in applying the transitions lens to these developments,

Onshore wind energy can be conceptualized as a “Global Innovation System” in which resources drive technological development and diffusion: Knowledge, markets, investment and legitimacy. This paper investigates the regional embeddedness of resource formation along the industry’s value chain, and explores how these processes are coupled to each other and to the national and global scale. Empirically

The ‘niche’ is a central concept in sustainability transitions. However, its mobilisation in analytical practice raises two concerns. The first stems from socio-technical determinism vis-à-vis technological flexibility and the risk that technologies become a priori linked to societal functions. The second actualises when emerging niches become framed, from the outset, in terms of their positive potential

As urban areas increase in size, density and population, green spaces become increasingly important for sustainability and liveability. Yet urbanisation processes, compounded in many cases by climate change impacts, are placing increasing pressure on retention of urban vegetation. This paper aims to analyse the role of local government policies in provision of urban green spaces. The research focuses

Socio-technical transitions are often hindered by the resilience of existing infrastructures, as policymakers are reluctant to invest in novel products or services. Using the example of carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) based fuels, we set up a discrete choice experiment to assess whether European policymakers have a tendency to avoid investing in novel, and more disruptive technologies, and rather

This paper investigates the drivers, benefits and barriers of battery electric vehicle (BEV) development and an ongoing BEV transition in Iceland from a sociotechnical perspective. We focus on the following research questions: 1) What are the most promising driving forces behind BEV growth? 2) Why are BEVs restricted mostly to the niche level? 3) What are the possible opportunities for BEV future development

We combine energy systems optimization models (ESOM), multi-criteria assessment (MCA) and a stakeholder workshop to evaluate decarbonization risks, trade-offs and opportunities for Ireland. Using an ESOM of Ireland, we develop decarbonisation scenario ensembles with variations across multiple dimensions, including carbon budget and technology availability as informed by a stakeholder workshop. For

A transition towards a low-carbon energy system requires the large-scale diffusion of renewable electricity (RE) technologies. Intermediary actors, such as installers, project developers or consultants, can facilitate this process by supporting RE adopters. Recent studies have also pointed out that there are potential drawbacks associated with intermediary support. Acting as filters and gatekeepers

Literature on socio-technical transitions acknowledge that negative risk perception is important to socio-technical transitions. This article argues that beyond identifying risk as a potential barrier, the acceptance or rejection of innovative options because of risks is a predictor of the transition pathway being adopted. This article analyses discussions from citizen’s jury sessions held in three

This paper develops a conceptual understanding of transformative innovations as shared activities, ideas and objects across locally rooted sustainability initiatives that explore and develop alternatives to incumbent and (perceived) unsustainable regimes that they seek to challenge, alter or replace. We synthesize empirical work from two European research projects (TRANSIT and ARTS), in which initiatives

To date, a major portion of sustainability transition research has relied on retrospective methods to generate encompassing macro-level views of transitions. However, such methods may have considerable impacts on the insights generated in the study of intermediation, action and agency by actors on the micro-level of transitions. In this article, we compare retrospective interviews and real-time ethnography

In this paper, we present a new method to operationalize social barriers for innovative technologies. Technical feasibility and economic viability are no guarantee for the development and take-off of an innovation. We combine insights from multi-level perspective (MLP) and technological innovation systems (TIS) theory to develop a framework for the identification and evaluation of actor-centred barriers

The practices of ecologically-minded alternative communities illuminate differing perspectives on what might constitute an economy. This paper explores the extant literature and presents a framework for considering four spheres of confluence between the modern market economy and diverse economies: economic production practices, attitudes towards growth, environmental responsiveness and the socialrelational

In this paper, we demonstrate the complexity of intermediation in practice. Intermediaries are seen as crucial actors in a transition process, but so far the transition intermediary literature has had a positive bias towards their role. We mobilize strong structuration theory to develop an analytical perspective that captures how complexity, tensions, and ambiguity influence the transition intermediary’s

This article contributes to the literature on sustainability transitions, innovation systems, and eco-innovation by addressing conceptual challenges regarding the systemic activities of intermediaries. Specifically, the article addresses a research gap pertaining to the ways in which the systemic activities of (eco-)innovation intermediaries can be conceptualised and empirically demonstrated. Empirically

International literature on citizen, local and community energy (LCE) has grown exponentially but has focussed on European and North American context. This paper contributes to understanding inclusivity in country-specific energy transition pathways, setting out an empirical analysis of grassroots energy innovation practices in a country that has to date followed an incumbent-led energy transition

This article points at insights from the subfields of international business and strategic management that are relevant for sustainability transitions research. Specifically, building on the emergent ‘mainstream’ literature on ‘generic’ digital platforms, we explain how a range of digital platform multinationals has emerged which address sustainability challenges, and highlight their potential for