Future directions for sustainability transitions research

This chapter summarises future directions for sustainability transitions research, taking into account challenges faced by climate change and other sustainability-related challenges. The motivation for sustainability transitions research is the recognition that environmental problems, such as climate change, loss of biodiversity and resource depletion, are brought about by unsustainable consumption and production patterns in socio-technical systems including electricity, heat, buildings, mobility and agro-food. Transitions research has the objective of understanding how radical, structural change in these socio-technical systems can arise and be supported. The field sees itself as conducting both interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research. Finally, the chapter outlines future research priorities related to sustainability transitions.