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5 - A Concept for Sustainability Transition Assessment (STA): A Dynamic Systems Perspective Informed by Resilience Thinking

from Part I - Theoretical Background

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2020

By
Thorsten Schilling ,
Susan Mühlemeier ,
Romano Wyss  and
Claudia R. Binder
Edited by
Claudia R. Binder ,
Romano Wyss  and
Emanuele Massaro
Claudia R. Binder
Affiliation:
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Romano Wyss
Affiliation:
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
Emanuele Massaro
Affiliation:
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
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Summary

Sustainability as a key principle that guides the development of our societies requires fundamental transitions if we are to attain a more liveable planet. Concomitantly, the question of how to assess sustainability not only with respect to specific system states, but also regarding transition processes as a whole, has gained greater importance. In this chapter, we propose to extend established sustainability assessment practices with an approach informed by resilience thinking. In particular, we apply a systemic angle to develop three analytical perspectives which focus on the progress, the stability, as well as the adaptability of transition processes. These perspectives make it possible to reflect on the history, current state, and (potential) future development of the system in transition. We illustrate how these analytical perspectives can complement existing sustainability assessment approaches with regard to the description, interpretation, and evaluation of the transition process.

Keywords

resiliencetransitionsustainabilitysystemdynamicsassessment
Type
Chapter
Information
Sustainability Assessment of Urban Systems , pp. 123 - 138
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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