Sustainability Transitions

Key findings:

• Sustainability transitions is fast growing, interdisciplinary Download field of research concerned with purposive, far-reaching transformation of existing sectors to achieve more sustainable modes of production and consumption (Download Markard et al., 2012)
• The ongoing energy transition is characterized by a high degree of uncertainty and complexity, a key role for public policy, strong vested interests and lock-in, and a variety of context-dependent transition pathways (Download Kern and Markard, 2016)
• In some countries, the energy transition has progressed into a new phase of development that is characterized, among other things, by industry decline and a complex interaction of multiple technologies (Download Markard, 2018)
• Complementarities between technologies, organizations or institutions are key for sustainability transitions. Complementarities at the sector level are particularly important and need to be monitored to avoid the emergence of bottlenecks. (Download Markard and Hoffmann, 2016)
• Policy systems and socio-technical systems mutually influence each other. Technological change is an important factor in explaining major policy changes in the energy transition (Download Markard et al. 2016).
• The energy transition is becoming increasingly pervasive, also affecting grid infrastructure and transmission technologies. Incumbent actors play a key role in the transition of transmission (Anderson & Markard 2018, ).
• Infrastructure sectors exhibit specific characteristics such as capital intensity, durability of assets, regulation intensity or systemness, which make them a ‘special beast’ for transition studies (Download Markard, 2011)
• When analyzing transitions, it is important to also look into the strategies and resources of key actors, because these may have a major impact on the direction and speed of sectoral change (Download Farla et al., 2012)
• Advocacy coalitions, for example, play an important role in transition policy making. In Swiss energy policy, coalitions have remained largely stable but there is increasing support for an energy transition (Download Markard et al., 2015)
• In a similar vein, incumbent firms from adjacent sectors may play a central role: In the case of smart grids, large ICT (Information and Communication Technology) firms may become important drivers for innovation in the electricity system (Download Erlinghagen and Markard, 2012)