Legitimacy transfer: A typology for multi-system interactions in sustainability transitions

Abstract

This perspective article introduces legitimacy transfer as a novel concept within the broader framework of multi-system interaction in socio-technical transitions research. Multi-system interaction examines how resources and dynamics flow across socio-technical system boundaries, shaping transitions to sustainability. Legitimacy transfer, which is a specific form of multi-system interaction, refers to the shift of perceived legitimacy between socio-technical configurations, thereby enabling actors to strategically influence societal acceptance, mobilize resources, and attract investment. The perspective develops a typology of legitimacy transfer with three forms: legitimacy sharing, where both configurations benefit; legitimacy exchange, where legitimacy flows reciprocally with no net gain or loss; and legitimacy capture, where powerful actors attract legitimacy across system boundaries by exploiting the weaker configuration. Two empirical cases illustrate these dynamics. The first examines how oil and gas incumbents in the United States use direct air carbon capture (DAC) technology to enhance the perceived sustainability of fossil fuel products, thereby potentially deteriorating the socio-political legitimacy of the emerging DAC system. The second focuses on Norwegian oil and gas actors that are electrifying offshore rigs with renewable energy, reframing fossil fuel operations as environmentally friendly. This article advances sustainability transitions research by integrating legitimacy transfer into the study of multi-system interactions, and providing a conceptual lens through which to understand power dynamics and strategic behavior. It underscores the importance of analyzing legitimacy flows to foster equitable and effective sustainability transitions.