Intermediaries in accelerating transitions: Introduction to the special issue
Other text in scientific journal, 2020

Sociotechnical transitions are complex processes that imply far-reaching technological, institutional and cultural changes. Transition intermediaries have emerged as potentially powerful actors and entities to speed up transitions. As much previous literature on intermediaries in transitions has focused on emergence, in this special issue, we focus on intermediaries in the acceleration phase of transitions. The contributions address different domains, with specific focus on different parts of the energy production and consumption system. The contributions cover three themes: intermediary actors in the diffusion of new solutions, in policy change, and systemic intermediaries. We end by making three observations regarding intermediation in the acceleration of sustainability transitions: new types of stakeholders coming into transition processes requiring new forms of intermediation; contestation and tensions becoming stronger, creating new challenges for intermediaries, and; potential confusion within intermediary actors.

Energy

Diffusion

Sustainability Transitions

Intermediary actors

Acceleration

Author

Paula Kivimaa

Finnish Environment Institute

University of Sussex

Anna Bergek

Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Environmental Systems Analysis

Kaisa Matschoss

University of Helsinki

Harro van Lente

Maastricht University

Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions

22104224 (eISSN)

Vol. 36 372-377

The roles of intermediaries in the transition to a sustainable energy system

Swedish Energy Agency (40642-1), 2015-08-01 -- 2018-12-31.

Subject Categories

Other Mechanical Engineering

Economics and Business

Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Innovation and entrepreneurship

Areas of Advance

Energy

DOI

10.1016/j.eist.2020.03.004

More information

Latest update

7/28/2021