Research on sustainability transitions has expanded rapidly in the last ten years, diversified in terms of topics and geographical applications, and deepened with respect to theories and methods. This article provides an extensive review and an updated research agenda for the field, classified into nine main themes: understanding transitions; power, agency and politics; governing transitions; civil society, culture and social movements; businesses and industries; transitions in practice and everyday life; geography of transitions; ethical aspects; and methodologies. The review shows that the scope of sustainability transitions research has broadened and connections to established disciplines have grown stronger. At the same time, we see that the grand challenges related to sustainability remain unsolved, calling for continued efforts and an acceleration of ongoing transitions. Transition studies can play a key role in this regard by creating new perspectives, approaches and understanding and helping to move society in the direction of sustainability.
1.Fraunhofer ISI, Breslauerstr 48, D-76139 Karlsruhe, Germany 2.Univ Manchester, Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9PL, Lancs, England 3.Inst Ecol Econ Res, Potsdamer Str 105, D-10785 Berlin, Germany 4.Int Inst Social Studies, Kortenaerkade 12, NL-2518 AX The Hague, Netherlands 5.Eindhoven Univ Technol, POB 513, NL-5600 MB Eindhoven, Netherlands 6.Erasmus Univ, DRIFT, Postbus 1738, NL-3000 DR Rotterdam, Netherlands 7.Chalmers Univ Technol, S-41296 Gothenburg, Sweden 8.Lund Univ, CIRCLE, Box 117, S-22100 Lund, Sweden 9.Vanderbilt Univ, Nashville, TN 37235 USA 10.Wuppertal Inst Climate Environm & Energy, Wuppertal, Germany 11.Aalto Univ, Sch Art Design & Architecture, POB 11000, FI-00076 Aalto, Hyysalo, Finland 12.Univ Brighton, Sch Environm & Technol, Brighton BN2 4GJ, E Sussex, England 13.ETH, Zurich, Switzerland 14.Univ Sussex, SPRU, Sussex House, Brighton BN1 9RH, E Sussex, England 15.Ecole Polytech Fed Lausanne, EPFL ENAC IIE HERUS, GR C1 492,Batiment GR,Stn 2, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland 16.SEI, Box 24218, S-10451 Stockholm, Sweden 17.Univ Libre Bruxelles, IGEAT, CP 130-03,Av FD Roosevelt 50, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium 18.Monash Univ, Clayton, Vic 3800, Australia 19.Linkoping Univ, SE-58183 Linkoping, Sweden 20.Univ Paris Est Marne Vallee, LISIS, Champs Sur Marne, France 21.Cardiff Univ, Cardiff Business Sch, Aberconway Bldg,Colum Rd, Cardiff CF10 3EU, S Glam, Wales
Recommended Citation:
Koehler, Jonathan,Geels, Frank W.,Kern, Florian,et al. An agenda for sustainability transitions research: State of the art and future directions[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATION AND SOCIETAL TRANSITIONS,2019-01-01,31:1-32