The European Environment Agency defines a sustainability transition as:
“a fundamental and wide-ranging transformation of a socio-technical system towards a more sustainable configuration that helps alleviate persistent problems such as climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss or resource scarcities.”
The concept of sustainability transitions is like the concept of energy transitions. According to the EEA, sustainability transition requires a new kind of culture, a new kind of collaboration, and a new kind of leadership. It requires a large investment in new and greener capital goods, while simultaneously shifting capital away from unsustainable systems.
Scientists have pointed out that: “Sustainability transitions come about in diverse ways, and all require civil-society pressure and evidence-based advocacy, political leadership, and a solid understanding of policy instruments, markets, and other drivers.”
Sustainability Action Principles
Nature-related principles: decarbonize; reduce human environmental impact by efficiency, sufficiency and consistency; be net-positive – build up environmental and societal capital; prefer local, seasonal, plant-based and labor-intensive; polluter-pays principle; precautionary principle; and appreciate and celebrate the beauty of nature.
Personal principles: practice contemplation, apply policies with caution, celebrate frugality.
Society-related principles: grant the least privileged the greatest support; seek mutual understanding, trust and many wins; strengthen social cohesion and collaboration; engage stakeholders; foster education – share knowledge and collaborate.
Systems-related principles: apply “systems thinking”; foster diversity; make what is relevant to the public more transparent; maintain or increase option diversity.
Example Steps
- Maintaining ecosystem services, protecting and co-creating common resources, reducing food waste, and promoting dietary shifts towards plant-based foods.
- Reduce population growth by cutting fertility rates.
- Promote new green technologies and adopting renewable energy sources while phasing out subsidies to fossil fuels.
As we try to figure out how best to co-exist on Earth over a long time, understanding how we will make this transition, the fundamental principles, and clear examples are crucial to our success.