Sustainability transformations & transitions

In the following, we explain for specialist audiences how the terms sustainability transformation and sustainability transition are currently used in the Swiss research landscape, based on the literature and a survey of the Academies network.

Sustainability transformations

Sustainability transformations refer to fundamental processes of societal change in the direction of sustainability. In contrast to terms like change or transition, the term transformation emphasizes that the changes are urgent and necessary, are actively driven by so-called changemakers, and occur across sectors. Depending on the definition, transformations can be systemic, structural, radical, revolutionary, or disruptive – the old is destroyed, the new is created.

Reading tips:

Transformation vs. Transition?

Transformation: In the Swiss research community, common definitions of transformation refer to a profound, far-reaching process that occurs on multiple levels.

Transition: The term transition is more often used to refer to changes within a particular societal subsystem (e.g. energy, mobility).

Researchers who employ the term transition like to emphasize the concept of socio-technical transitions. From the perspective of transition researchers, a transformation is just one of several possible “transition pathways” (see Geels & Schot 2007). Others acknowledge that the terms transition and transformation are frequently used interchangeably. Among French-language researchers, the term transition is generally preferred over transformation.

In cases where the focus is on sustainability transformations, it appears useful to understand and classify transitions as sub-processes of wider societal transformations.

Reading tips:

Hölscher, K., Wittmayer, J. M., & Loorbach, D. (2018). Transition versus transformation: What’s the difference? Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 27, 1–3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2017.10.007
Köhler, J., Geels, F. W., Kern, F., Markard, J., Onsongo, E., Wieczorek, A., Alkemade, F., Avelino, F., Bergek, A., Boons, F., Fünfschilling, L., Hess, D., Holtz, G., Hyysalo, S., Jenkins, K., Kivimaa, P., Martiskainen, M., McMeekin, A., Mühlemeier, M. S., … Wells, P. (2019). An agenda for sustainability transitions research: State of the art and future directions. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 31, 1–32. 10.1016/j.eist.2019.01.004
Geels, F.W.; Schot, J. (2007). Typology of sociotechnical transition pathways. Research Policy, 36, 399-417. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2007.01.003

Research on sustainability transformations

Research on sustainability transformations focuses on societal transformations towards greater sustainability and employs methods of transformation research and transformative research, and other related approaches.