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Comparing sustainability transition labs across process, effects and impacts: Insights from Canada and Sweden

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Holmén, Johan, Williams, Stephen, Holmberg, John·2022·Energy Research & Social Science
DOI 10.1016/j.erss.2022.102522
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Abstract

Purposeful transformative change on a level of societal systems, structures and practices is called for in response to contemporary sustainability challenges. Sustainability transition labs and arenas represent a particular set of governance innovations seeking to foster systemic change based on deliberate engagement of multiple actors around complex issues of concern. Most labs aim for long-term contributions in addressing persistent societal challenges and transitioning into sustainability, yet are seldomly evaluated on whether, how and to what extents such contributions become realised in practice. In this paper, we further an analytical framework for comparatively analysing sustainability transition labs and arenas with emphasis on their processes, effects and impacts. The framework is applied on two cases: Energy Futures Lab initiated in Alberta, Canada and the arenas for a Fossil Independent West Sweden - Climate 2030. In particular, the comparison showcases how contextual difference in terms of urgency and turbulence may influence lab activities and how ownership and governance conditions may influence the various directions outputs, effects and wider impacts took. The comparison further illuminates how backcasting and the multi-level perspective may serve as complementary frameworks and tools in lab processes, whose respective role may depend on aspiration and context. We end the paper by providing a series of key considerations in furthering the comparative analytical framework and its application in practice. They orient around the three guiding questions on the why's, what's, and how's of doing comparative research on sustainability transition arenas and labs across their processes, effects and impacts.

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  • The identification of barriers and levers allows reflection on factors and their role in the development of the agroecological initiative and provides learning across initiatives.

    “The identification of barriers and levers allows reflection on factors and their role in the development of the agroecological initiative and provides learning across initiatives (Holmén et al. 2022).”

    From A heuristic framework to portray agroecological transition initiatives in reflexive arrangements, illustrated with a conservation agriculture network in Denmark (2025) · cites this paper as Holmén et al. 2022

    The “Why compare?” section says cross-case comparison revealed contextual conditions and prompted deeper reflection on the two sustainability transition labs, supporting the claim’s general point about learning across initiatives. The paper does not establish that identifying barriers and levers serves this purpose for agroecological initiatives specifically. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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Research works printed but not linked: 14

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  10. J. Holmberg, Transformative learning and leadership for a sustainable future: Challenge Lab at Chalmers University of Technology, in: P.B. Corcoran, B. P. Hollingshead, H. Lotz-Sisitka, A. Wals, J.P. Weakland (Eds.), Intergenerational Learning and Transformative Leadership for Sustainable Futures [Internet], Wageningen Academic Publishers, The Netherlands, 2014, pp. 91-102 [cited 2015 Jul 16]. Available from: http://www.wageningenacademic.com/doi/pdf/10. 3920/978-90-8686-802-5_4. · DOI
  11. J. Holmén, Navigating Sustainability Transformations: Backcasting, transdisciplinarity and social learning [Thesis for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy], Chalmers University of Technology, [Gothenburg, Sweden], 2020.
  12. Quist J, Wittmayer J, Van Steenbergen F, Loorbach D. Combining backcasting and transition management in the community arena. In: Proceedings of SCORAI Europe & InContext Workshop, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 7-8 October 2013; Sustainable Consumption Transitions Series, Issue 3 [Internet]. 2013 [cited 2015 Jul 11]. Available from: http://repository.tudelft.nl/view/ir/uuid:abde24ee-a1c 4-4a9b-929c-9d5c48f4fb36/.
  13. J. Rotmans, D. Loorbach, Transition management: Reflexive governance of societal complexity through searching, learning and experimenting, in: J.C.J.M. van den Bergh, F.R. Bruinsma (Eds.), Managing the transition to renewable energy: Theory and practice from local, regional and macro perspectives, Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, 2008, pp. 15-46.
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Authors
Holmén, J., Williams, S., & Holmberg, J.
Affiliations
Research Institute for Sustainability at GFZ (DE)
Corresponding author
Holmén, Johan
ORCID
Venue
Energy Research & Social Science
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2022-07
Volume
89
Pages
102522
ISSN
2214-6296 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.erss.2022.102522
OpenAlex
W4213340832
Cited by
9
References
2
Citations by year
2024: 5 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1
FWCI
0.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Energy Research & Social Science (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Chalmers Research (Chalmers University of Technology) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Mitacs
  • The Kamprad Family Foundation
  • Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Management of Technology and Innovation › Innovative Approaches in Technology and Social Development
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Sustainable Development and Policies
Keywords
governance innovation, systemic change, backcasting, multi-level perspective, Alberta, Sweden

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