Sustainability Transitionsin science and education

Dr. Derk Loorbach, Tokyo University
01-03-2012

Transitions
fundamental change of structure, culture and practices ina societal (sub)system– culture:collective set of values, norms, perspectives (sharedorientation), paradigms– structure: physical infrastructure, economic infrastructure,
institutions, rules, regulations, collective routines– practices: behaviour, operation, implementation
Shared discourse and language for multi-actor learningand innovation processes

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Transition levels
Macro-level: landscapeautonomous trends, paradigms,
slow changes

Meso-level: regime
Dominant structure, culture
and practices

Micro-level: niches
innovative ideas, projects,
technologies, niche actors
Based on Geels and Kemp, 2001
Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Transition phasesstabilisation

acceleration

construction
mobility
waste
predevelopment

Sustainable
society?

water
financeenergytake-off

health care

Based on Rotmans et al, 2001

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

A phase shift in transitions?
• Number of landscape developments pressure regimes– Resources, climate, food, economic crises, demography …

• Number of alternatives becoming competitive– Renewables, ecological approaches, community initiatives, newfinancial models, self-organisation, …

• Regimes start to defend, get into crises or open up– Protectionism, spreading doubt, control strategies, …

• Multiple pathways start to emerge and compete

Propostition 1
Increasingly, transitions areentering take-off andacceleration

Transition in science and education• Science: less authority, more uncertainty– Scientists: knowledge brokers, co-creators,
reflectors and observers
 Transition from mode 1 to mode 2 to mode 3(sustainability) science• Education: less disciplinary, more skills– Teachers: guides, knowledge providers,
facilitators
Transition from 1st to 2nd to 3rd order learning
Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Transition dynamics and challenge…
• Existing regimes: faculties, peer reviewed system,
disciplinary funding, lack of social innovation
incentives, neutrality and objectivity of science• Lots of niches and experments, but no broader
acceleration yet• Crucial part of achieving a sustainable society: interand transdisciplinary science and adaptive professionals

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Proposition 2
Societal transitions produce and requiretransitions in science and education

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Transition governance principles (predev.)• long-term thinking as the basis for short term policy• thinking in terms of multiple domains (multi-domain),different actors (multi-actor), different levels (multi-level)• learning as an important aim for policy (‘learning-by-doing’and ‘doing-by-learning’)• orient governance towards system innovation besides
system improvement• keeping options open, exploring multiple pathways• selective participation focusing on frontrunners

Transition Governance Framework
Problem structuring,
establishment of thetransition arena andenvisioning
Developing
imagescoalitionsandtransitionagendas

Monitoring,evaluating
and learning

Mobilizing actors andexecuting projects andexperiments

Transition arenas
society

Regular policy arena- Short term
- Peloton- Incremental change- Problem- and goal
orientedTransition arena- Long term
- Frontrunners- System-innovation- Problem- and goal
searchingProposition 3
We need to systematicallyexchange, learn and scale up
sustainability scienceExamples?
• Sustainability science journal, transitionnetworks• Measuring/awarding societal impact• New roles for universities (Leuphana, ASU)
• New types of science/practice institutes (DRIFT)
Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Urban sustainability course• Urban planners, architects, policy scientist, sociologist, businessstudents• Education at location in problematic neighbourhood• Confrontation classes: local citizens, business and policy• Science track: transitions, sustainability, urban change andmethodologies
Output: multi-disciplinary transition strategies for local challenges

Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Governance of the transition• Strategic: redefining the role of science/education insustainability• Tactical: developing novel (infra)structures, criteria forsustainability science• Operational: new types of courses & practices• Reflexive: structuring debates on succes, progress,
methodology
Dutch Research Institute For Transitions

Thank you for your attention
For more information and publications:loorbach@drift.eur.nl
www.drift.eur.nl
www.transitionsnetwork.org
www.twitter.com/drk75