Ten essentials for action-oriented and second order energy transitions, transformations and climate change research
Review article, 2018
The most critical question for climate research is no longer about the problem, but about how to facilitate the transformative changes necessary to avoid catastrophic climate-induced change. Addressing this question, however, will require massive upscaling of research that can rapidly enhance learning about transformations. Ten essentials for guiding action-oriented transformation and energy research are therefore presented, framed in relation to second-order science. They include: (1) Focus on transformations to low-carbon, resilient living; (2) Focus on solution processes; (3) Focus on ‘how to’ practical knowledge; (4) Approach research as occurring from within the system being intervened; (5) Work with normative aspects; (6) Seek to transcend current thinking; (7) Take a multi-faceted approach to understand and shape change; (8) Acknowledge the value of alternative roles of researchers; (9) Encourage second-order experimentation; and (10) Be reflexive. Joint application of the essentials would create highly adaptive, reflexive, collaborative and impact-oriented research able to enhance capacity to respond to the climate challenge. At present, however, the practice of such approaches is limited and constrained by dominance of other approaches. For wider transformations to low carbon living and energy systems to occur, transformations will therefore also be needed in the way in which knowledge is produced and used.
Sustainability transitions
Action research
Transdisciplinarity
Sustainability
Author
Ioan Fazey
University of Dundee
Niko Schäpke
Leuphana University of Lüneburg
Guido Caniglia
Leuphana University of Lüneburg
James Patterson
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Johan Hultman
Lund University
Barbara van Mierlo
Wageningen University and Research
Filippa Säwe
Lund University
Arnim Wiek
Arizona State University
Julia Wittmayer
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Paulina Aldunce
University of Chile (UCH)
Husam Al Waer
University of Dundee
Nandini Battacharya
University of Dundee
Hilary Bradbury
Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics
Esther Carmen
University of Dundee
John Colvin
Emerald Network Ltd
Christopher Cvitanovic
University of Tasmania
Marcella D'Souza
Watershed Organisation Trust
Maja Gopel
German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU)
Bruce Goldstein
University of Colorado at Boulder
Timo Hämäläinen
SITRA
Gavin Harper
University of Birmingham
Tom Henfry
Schumacher Institute
University of Lisbon
Anthony Hodgson
University of Dundee
International Futures Forum
Mark S. Howden
Australian National University
Andy Kerr
University of Edinburgh
Matthias Klaes
University of Buckingham
Christopher Lyon
University of Dundee
Gerald Midgley
University of Hull
Susanne Moser
Susanne Moser Research and Consulting
Stanford University
Nandan Mukherjee
University of Dundee
Karl Müller
Steinbeis Transfer Center New Cybernetics
Karen O'Brien
University of Oslo
Deborah A. O'Connell
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
Per Olsson
Stockholm University
Glenn Page
SustainaMetrix LLC
Mark S. Reed
Newcastle University
Beverley Searle
University of Dundee
Giorgia Silvestri
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Viktoria Spaiser
University of Leeds
Tim Strasser
Maastricht University
Petra Tschakert
University of Western Australia
Natalia Uribe-Calvo
EUCO SAS
Steve Waddell
GOLDEN Ecosystems Labs
Jennifer Rao-Williams
University of Dundee
Russell Wise
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
Ruth Wolstenholme
Sniffer
Mel Woods
University of Dundee
Carina Wyborn
World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF)
Energy Research and Social Science
22146296 (ISSN) 22146326 (eISSN)
Vol. 40 54-70Subject Categories (SSIF 2011)
Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
Information Science
Climate Research
DOI
10.1016/j.erss.2017.11.026