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topics:transition_pathways [2026/04/28 13:14] – o.sachstopics:transition_pathways [2026/05/12 12:56] (current) – o.sachs
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 ====  Core pathway conceptions ==== ====  Core pathway conceptions ====
  
-In the context of climate change mitigation, the concept of "pathways" is frequently used to frame the challenge of transitioning to a low-carbon society. Rosenbloom (2017) identifies three core conceptions of pathways that emphasize different, yet interconnected, dimensions of this transition: socio-technical, techno-economic and biophysical. Socio-technical pathways focus on the unfolding patterns of change within societal systems as they evolve to meet human needs in a low-carbon manner. This perspective considers the interlocking nature of social and technical elements, including political, institutional, and cultural structures. A key analytical framework within this conception is the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP), which explores the interactions between innovative "niches," the dominant "socio-technical regime," and the broader "landscape" to understand how established, carbon-intensive systems can be subverted and transformed. In contrast, techno-economic pathways stricly focus on outling the specific series of technical and financial changes required to move an industrial sector from its current setup to a sustainable, low-carbon future. Finally, biophysical pathways are long-term plans for greenhouse gas levels. They calculate the total amount of pollution the planet can handle to reach a specific temperature target. These pathways serve as a scientific foundation for global climate models. ((Rosenblum, D. (2017). Pathways: An emerging concept for the theory and governance of low-carbon transitions. //Global Enviromental Change//, 43, 37-50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2016.12.011))+In the context of climate change mitigation, the concept of "pathways" is frequently used to frame the challenge of transitioning to a low-carbon society. Rosenbloom (2017) identifies three core conceptions of pathways that emphasize different, yet interconnected, dimensions of this transition: socio-technical, techno-economic and biophysical. Socio-technical pathways focus on the unfolding patterns of change within societal systems as they evolve to meet human needs in a low-carbon manner. This perspective considers the interlocking nature of social and technical elements, including political, institutional, and cultural structures. A key analytical framework within this conception is the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP), which explores the interactions between innovative "niches," the dominant "socio-technical regime," and the broader "landscape" to understand how established, carbon-intensive systems can be subverted and transformed. In contrast, techno-economic pathways stricly focus on outlining the specific series of technical and financial changes required to move an industrial sector from its current setup to a sustainable, low-carbon future. Finally, biophysical pathways are long-term plans for greenhouse gas levels. They calculate the total amount of pollution the planet can handle to reach a specific temperature target. These pathways serve as a scientific foundation for global climate models. ((Rosenblum, D. (2017). Pathways: An emerging concept for the theory and governance of low-carbon transitions. //Global Enviromental Change//, 43, 37-50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2016.12.011))
  
 Recognizing that existing interpretations of transformation pathways often treat nature as a passive context, Andersson et al. (2024) propose a 'socio-techno-ecological' approach to sustainability transitions. They argue that ecological elements should not be viewed merely as background variables, but as active, interdependent components that co-evolve with social and technical systems throughout the transformation process. By integrating ecology within the analytical framework, this perspective seeks to better account for the influence of natural resources on transitions and the environmental impacts resulting from them. ((Anderson, J., Lennerfors, T. T., Fornstedt, H. (2024). Towards a socio-techno-ecological approach to sustainability transitions. //Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions//, 51 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2024.100846)) Recognizing that existing interpretations of transformation pathways often treat nature as a passive context, Andersson et al. (2024) propose a 'socio-techno-ecological' approach to sustainability transitions. They argue that ecological elements should not be viewed merely as background variables, but as active, interdependent components that co-evolve with social and technical systems throughout the transformation process. By integrating ecology within the analytical framework, this perspective seeks to better account for the influence of natural resources on transitions and the environmental impacts resulting from them. ((Anderson, J., Lennerfors, T. T., Fornstedt, H. (2024). Towards a socio-techno-ecological approach to sustainability transitions. //Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions//, 51 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2024.100846))
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 <WRAP center column full> <WRAP center column full>
  
-^ Core conceptions ^ General character of core conceptions ^ Dynamics exposing the character and maturation of core conceptions ^ Application ^ +^ Core conceptions ^ General character of core conceptions ^ 
-| **Socio-technical pathways** | Unfolding socio-technical patterns of change within societal systems as they move to meet human needs in a low-carbon fashion | (1) the elucidation of transition processes; (2) the deliberate stimulation transitions; and (3) recent efforts to bridge perspectives with quantitative modelling approaches | | +|<WRAP #eef6ff> **Socio-technical pathways** </WRAP>|<WRAP #eef6ff> Unfolding socio-technical patterns of change within societal systems as they move to meet human needs in a low-carbon fashion </WRAP>| 
- +| **Techno-economic pathways** | Sequences of techno-economic adjustments linking current sector configurations to desirable low-carbon future states | 
-<WRAP clear /> +| **Biophysical pathways** | Long-term trajectories of GHG emissions linked to particular stabilization targets and derived from macro-level parameters describing human-climate interactions over time | 
- +| **Socio-techno-ecological pathways*** | Incorporating ecology and the management of natural resources into socio-technical transformations. \\ //(Added based on Anderson et al.)// |
-| **Techno-economic pathways** | Sequences of techno-economic adjustments linking current sector configurations to desirable low-carbon future states | (1) the integration of ideas from technology assessment and economics; and (2) the adoption of a somewhat less value and policy neutral orientation | s | +
-| **Biophysical pathways** | Long-term trajectories of GHG emissions linked to particular stabilization targets and derived from macro-level parameters describing human-climate interactions over time | (1) attempts to map the possibility space around human-climate interactions; (2) a growing emphasis on mapping low stabilization levels; and (3) emerging efforts to account for broader socio-economic possibilities |  | +
- +
-<WRAP clear /> +
- +
-> **Origin:** This conception of Socio-techno-ecological pathways stems from **Anderson et al.** +
- +
-| **Socio-techno-ecological pathways** | Incorporating ecology and the management of natural resources into socio-technical transformations |                                             |  |+
  
 </WRAP> </WRAP>
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-{{ :topics:transitional_pathways_fig._3._long_term_continuity_in_deep_transition_dynamics..png?nolink&700 |}}+{{ :topics:transitional_pathways_fig._3._long_term_continuity_in_deep_transition_dynamics..png?nolink&600 |}}
  
 <WRAP figure> <WRAP figure>