Pub Date : 2025-12-31DOI: 10.1016/j.eist.2025.101099
Janthe Albers , Rhiannon Pugh , Taylor Brydges
Like many cities worldwide, Amsterdam has ambitious plans around sustainability transitions. The city has oriented towards an alternative economic development model called “Doughnut Economics” and has attempted to implement ideas from the work of economist Kate Raworth on the ground through a “Doughnut Strategy” and the Amsterdam Doughnut Coalition. This paper explores the evolution of Amsterdam’s doughnut efforts through a qualitative case study conducted from 2022–2023. Based on insights from this unique case, it explores to what extent the doughnut model can help cities undertake sustainability transitions, and which elements of transitions are indeed present (or lacking) in the Amsterdam doughnut approach to date. Whilst there were several positive lessons emerging from our case study involving those working on the ground to implement the Doughnut Strategy, our research found particular transition elements difficult to implement, especially those requiring culture change and system ruptures. Targeted solutions to these challenges can unlock the approach’s full potential to foster holistic city-level transition.
{"title":"Implementing sustainability transitions at the city level: the doughnut in Amsterdam","authors":"Janthe Albers , Rhiannon Pugh , Taylor Brydges","doi":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101099","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101099","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Like many cities worldwide, Amsterdam has ambitious plans around sustainability transitions. The city has oriented towards an alternative economic development model called “Doughnut Economics” and has attempted to implement ideas from the work of economist Kate Raworth on the ground through a “Doughnut Strategy” and the Amsterdam Doughnut Coalition. This paper explores the evolution of Amsterdam’s doughnut efforts through a qualitative case study conducted from 2022–2023. Based on insights from this unique case, it explores to what extent the doughnut model can help cities undertake sustainability transitions, and which elements of transitions are indeed present (or lacking) in the Amsterdam doughnut approach to date. Whilst there were several positive lessons emerging from our case study involving those working on the ground to implement the Doughnut Strategy, our research found particular transition elements difficult to implement, especially those requiring culture change and system ruptures. Targeted solutions to these challenges can unlock the approach’s full potential to foster holistic city-level transition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54294,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 101099"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145884454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-27DOI: 10.1016/j.eist.2025.101094
Oliver Bugge Hunt , Kristoffer Marslev , Markus Steen , Teis Hansen , Ulrich Elmer Hansen
The sustainability transitions (ST) field has benefited from the integration of theories and insights from various fields. In this perspective, we argue that the time is ripe to consider how insights from global production network (GPN) and global value chain (GVC) research can contribute to a new understanding and explanation of complex and multi-scalar transition processes and outcomes. With a modular theory building point of departure, we discuss three ST research areas in which elements from GPN/GVC’s meso‑level analytical toolkit can be integrated: industrial transformation, multi-system interactions, and just transitions.
{"title":"Incorporating insights from global production network and value chain research into the sustainability transitions field","authors":"Oliver Bugge Hunt , Kristoffer Marslev , Markus Steen , Teis Hansen , Ulrich Elmer Hansen","doi":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101094","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101094","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The sustainability transitions (ST) field has benefited from the integration of theories and insights from various fields. In this perspective, we argue that the time is ripe to consider how insights from global production network (GPN) and global value chain (GVC) research can contribute to a new understanding and explanation of complex and multi-scalar transition processes and outcomes. With a modular theory building point of departure, we discuss three ST research areas in which elements from GPN/GVC’s meso‑level analytical toolkit can be integrated: industrial transformation, multi-system interactions, and just transitions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54294,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 101094"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840806","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-27DOI: 10.1016/j.eist.2025.101076
Sabine de Graaff, Iris Wanzenböck, Koen Frenken
Normative values such as ‘justice’ or ‘sustainability’ are envisaged to guide transformative change. However, transition research that explicitly studies normativity remains limited. We study policy problem frames, policy solutions and their underlying values to compare directionality in the history of Dutch and Norwegian agri-food policy. While Norwegian policies emphasize protectionism and national food security, Dutch policies promote a liberal, market-oriented approach. Our analysis uncovers a persistent dominance of economic values over social and ecological considerations in both policy contexts, highlighting the entrenchment of economic growth ideals within Western European agri-food systems and revealing relevant value tensions. Overall, the paper argues that directionality is an inherently normative and political process, shaped by competing values embedded in historical trajectories. Recognizing this complexity calls for increased reflexivity and active engagement with just transition perspectives to navigate value tensions and advance sustainable and just transition pathways for future agri-food systems.
{"title":"Unpacking normativity in transformative change: A comparative analysis of directionality in Norwegian and Dutch agri-food policy (1945–2023)","authors":"Sabine de Graaff, Iris Wanzenböck, Koen Frenken","doi":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101076","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101076","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Normative values such as ‘justice’ or ‘sustainability’ are envisaged to guide transformative change. However, transition research that explicitly studies normativity remains limited. We study policy problem frames, policy solutions and their underlying values to compare directionality in the history of Dutch and Norwegian agri-food policy. While Norwegian policies emphasize protectionism and national food security, Dutch policies promote a liberal, market-oriented approach. Our analysis uncovers a persistent dominance of economic values over social and ecological considerations in both policy contexts, highlighting the entrenchment of economic growth ideals within Western European agri-food systems and revealing relevant value tensions. Overall, the paper argues that directionality is an inherently normative and political process, shaped by competing values embedded in historical trajectories. Recognizing this complexity calls for increased reflexivity and active engagement with just transition perspectives to navigate value tensions and advance sustainable and just transition pathways for future agri-food systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54294,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 101076"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-23DOI: 10.1016/j.eist.2025.101092
Line Kvartborg Vestergaard , Benedikt Schmid
This paper explores local state institutions as potential arenas for transformative practices. Building on the tension in transformation scholarship identifying states as both barriers and essential agents in achieving deep transformations, we adopt a processual, relational view of the state – as offered by the concept of institutional work. Through this lens, we analyze two mobilizations within Amsterdam’s institutional landscape. First, the local state selectively integrating the Doughnut Economics framework into local governance. The second, involved 800 civil servants raising concerns about governmental inaction on the climate crisis through a Brandbrief – an Urgent Climate Letter. Drawing on comprehensive ethnographic fieldwork tracing the development of both mobilizations, we offer a detailed account of how Amsterdam’s administrative and political staff engage in the work of institutional transformation. By substantiating and refining the concept of institutional activism, we offer a nuanced perspective on the actual and potential roles of local state actors in driving deep transformations, contributing to ongoing debates about the state's role in transformation scholarship.
{"title":"Institutional activism within the local state: exploring ambitions for deep transformation in Amsterdam","authors":"Line Kvartborg Vestergaard , Benedikt Schmid","doi":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101092","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101092","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper explores local state institutions as potential arenas for transformative practices. Building on the tension in transformation scholarship identifying states as both barriers and essential agents in achieving deep transformations, we adopt a processual, relational view of the state – as offered by the concept of <em>institutional work</em>. Through this lens, we analyze two mobilizations within Amsterdam’s institutional landscape. First, the local state selectively integrating the Doughnut Economics framework into local governance. The second, involved 800 civil servants raising concerns about governmental inaction on the climate crisis through a <em>Brandbrief –</em> an Urgent Climate Letter. Drawing on comprehensive ethnographic fieldwork tracing the development of both mobilizations, we offer a detailed account of how Amsterdam’s administrative and political staff engage in the work of institutional transformation. By substantiating and refining the concept of <em>institutional activism</em>, we offer a nuanced perspective on the actual and potential roles of local state actors in driving deep transformations, contributing to ongoing debates about the state's role in transformation scholarship.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54294,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 101092"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840803","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-23DOI: 10.1016/j.eist.2025.101093
Katariina Kulha
The efforts to mitigate climate change have been accompanied by calls for a just transition, meaning a sustainability transition that takes into account the social costs of policy change. While several studies have addressed the social justice impacts of climate policies, the desired implications of just transition remain contested, and the concept is constantly shaped by different actors involved in the policy-making of sustainability transition. In recent years, randomly selected citizen bodies, called deliberative mini-publics, have been convened to address issues of justice and to advance the acceptability of climate policies through the inclusion of citizens’ diverse viewpoints. However, relative to their increasing use in climate policy-making, mini-publics’ definitions of just climate policies have received little attention. The paper argues that mini-publics’ policy recommendations can enrich just transition scholarship’s understanding of the contestations revolving around justice in transitions. It therefore sets out to analyze the statements of three citizens’ juries discussing climate change mitigation policies in Finland. Based on an analytical frame drawn from the literatures of energy, environmental, and climate justice, the paper deconstructs the conceptualizations of justice present in the juries’ outputs. The results show that especially support for low-income groups and the acknowledgement of regional diversity are deemed important by the juries, who expect active measures from public authorities to safeguard both citizens’ well-being and environmental values. The findings suggest that advancing just transition requires policy mixes, where mitigation measures are explicitly combined with redistributive policies and investments in infrastructure and public services.
{"title":"Tracing the 'just' in just transition: conceptualizations of justice by citizens’ juries in climate policy-making","authors":"Katariina Kulha","doi":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101093","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101093","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The efforts to mitigate climate change have been accompanied by calls for a just transition, meaning a sustainability transition that takes into account the social costs of policy change. While several studies have addressed the social justice impacts of climate policies, the desired implications of just transition remain contested, and the concept is constantly shaped by different actors involved in the policy-making of sustainability transition. In recent years, randomly selected citizen bodies, called deliberative mini-publics, have been convened to address issues of justice and to advance the acceptability of climate policies through the inclusion of citizens’ diverse viewpoints. However, relative to their increasing use in climate policy-making, mini-publics’ definitions of just climate policies have received little attention. The paper argues that mini-publics’ policy recommendations can enrich just transition scholarship’s understanding of the contestations revolving around justice in transitions. It therefore sets out to analyze the statements of three citizens’ juries discussing climate change mitigation policies in Finland. Based on an analytical frame drawn from the literatures of energy, environmental, and climate justice, the paper deconstructs the conceptualizations of justice present in the juries’ outputs. The results show that especially support for low-income groups and the acknowledgement of regional diversity are deemed important by the juries, who expect active measures from public authorities to safeguard both citizens’ well-being and environmental values. The findings suggest that advancing just transition requires policy mixes, where mitigation measures are explicitly combined with redistributive policies and investments in infrastructure and public services.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54294,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 101093"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Societal mission-oriented policies are shaped by the socio-technical systems in which they are embedded, yet their openness to multiple transition pathways, particularly when a dominant one exists, is underexplored. This study addresses this gap through a qualitative case study of the circular plastic packaging mission in the Netherlands. We analyse the interaction between the mission and socio-technical system dynamics across three circular transition pathways: recycling (the locked-in pathway), reuse and refuse (emerging pathways in the circular transition). Our findings identify three types of lock-ins (infrastructure and technology, institutional, and behavioural) that strongly favour recycling as a dominant pathway in the circular transition, persisting also after the mission's implementation. We contribute to the transitions literature by showing that mission policies can gradually reshape institutions and reduce lock-in. However, it also underscores the necessity of active mission governance to promote and activate less dominant pathways that align with societal goals.
{"title":"Unpacking lock-ins in transition pathways: Lessons from the Dutch circular plastic packaging mission","authors":"S.A.M.J.V. Bours , I. Wanzenböck , V.S.C. Tunn , M.P. Hekkert","doi":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101075","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101075","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Societal mission-oriented policies are shaped by the socio-technical systems in which they are embedded, yet their openness to multiple transition pathways, particularly when a dominant one exists, is underexplored. This study addresses this gap through a qualitative case study of the circular plastic packaging mission in the Netherlands. We analyse the interaction between the mission and socio-technical system dynamics across three circular transition pathways: recycling (the locked-in pathway), reuse and refuse (emerging pathways in the circular transition). Our findings identify three types of lock-ins (infrastructure and technology, institutional, and behavioural) that strongly favour recycling as a dominant pathway in the circular transition, persisting also after the mission's implementation. We contribute to the transitions literature by showing that mission policies can gradually reshape institutions and reduce lock-in. However, it also underscores the necessity of active mission governance to promote and activate less dominant pathways that align with societal goals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54294,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 101075"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145785177","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper investigates the dominant technological developments within the field of the Circular Economy (CE) and the potential drivers shaping these dynamics, which have received limited attention to date. To this end, we apply the main path analysis to a patent citation network to identify the key technological trajectories in CE. We then characterize these trajectories in terms of their technological, geographical, and business features, as well as the environmental policy frameworks potentially associated with them. Subsequently, through regression analysis, we examine the influence of two core attributes of the principal applicants’ patent portfolios: total patent stock—used as a proxy for technological capability—and the share of patents in specific CE subfields—used as a proxy for technological specialization. Our results indicate that a firm’s accumulated knowledge stock significantly enhances its ability to reach the CE technological frontier. Moreover, while specialization in a CE domain is positively associated with persistence at the frontier, excessive specialization appears to constrain adaptive capacity, thereby reversing this positive effect.
{"title":"Technological trajectories in the circular economy: Evidence from patent networks and patent portfolios","authors":"Enrico Alessandri , Riccardo Cappelli , Marco Cucculelli , Jasmine Mondolo","doi":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101091","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101091","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper investigates the dominant technological developments within the field of the Circular Economy (CE) and the potential drivers shaping these dynamics, which have received limited attention to date. To this end, we apply the <em>main path analysis</em> to a patent citation network to identify the key technological trajectories in CE. We then characterize these trajectories in terms of their technological, geographical, and business features, as well as the environmental policy frameworks potentially associated with them. Subsequently, through regression analysis, we examine the influence of two core attributes of the principal applicants’ patent portfolios: total patent stock—used as a proxy for technological capability—and the share of patents in specific CE subfields—used as a proxy for technological specialization. Our results indicate that a firm’s accumulated knowledge stock significantly enhances its ability to reach the CE technological frontier. Moreover, while specialization in a CE domain is positively associated with persistence at the frontier, excessive specialization appears to constrain adaptive capacity, thereby reversing this positive effect.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54294,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 101091"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145791367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-17DOI: 10.1016/j.eist.2025.101077
Max Lacey-Barnacle , Ed Atkins , Eleanor Radcliffe , Martin Boucher
Community Wealth Building (CWB) has begun to ascend globally as an international policy movement promoting local economic development that advances economic democracy. However, despite the global embrace of CWB in various locations such as the USA, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands and the UK, it rarely explicitly connects to the notion of ‘Green Prosperity’ brought about by decarbonisation. As a result, CWB efforts lack explicit strategic, financial, policy and institutional engagements with core net zero legislation, approaches and actors, alongside the growing diversity of local, community and civil society organisations active in bottom-up sustainability transitions. We therefore see huge potential for more constructive and collaborative dialogue between burgeoning net zero and CWB communities, leading to more integrated research, policy and practice that supports the democratisation of just transitions. Drawing on insights from leading academic and policy research, our Perspective piece calls for four ways forward for CWB policy actors and advocates to integrate just transitions into CWB agendas; (1) Prioritise procedural justice through community & worker engagement in CWB & Net Zero strategies (2) Retrospectively integrate just transitions approaches into existing CWB programmes (3) Strategy alignment & working across policy silos for a just transition and (4) Involve anchor institutions and their growing networks in just transitions. Taken together, these four routes forward expand the sustainability and just transition dimensions of existing CWB principles at various scales of governance, whilst advancing CWB research and thinking into novel directions.
{"title":"Reframing Green Prosperity: integrating sustainability and just transitions into Community Wealth Building","authors":"Max Lacey-Barnacle , Ed Atkins , Eleanor Radcliffe , Martin Boucher","doi":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101077","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101077","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Community Wealth Building (CWB) has begun to ascend globally as an international policy movement promoting local economic development that advances economic democracy. However, despite the global embrace of CWB in various locations such as the USA, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands and the UK, it rarely explicitly connects to the notion of ‘Green Prosperity’ brought about by decarbonisation. As a result, CWB efforts lack explicit strategic, financial, policy and institutional engagements with core net zero legislation, approaches and actors, alongside the growing diversity of local, community and civil society organisations active in bottom-up sustainability transitions. We therefore see huge potential for more constructive and collaborative dialogue between burgeoning net zero and CWB communities, leading to more integrated research, policy and practice that supports the democratisation of just transitions. Drawing on insights from leading academic and policy research, our <em>Perspective</em> piece calls for four ways forward for CWB policy actors and advocates to integrate just transitions into CWB agendas; (1) Prioritise procedural justice through community & worker engagement in CWB & Net Zero strategies (2) Retrospectively integrate just transitions approaches into existing CWB programmes (3) Strategy alignment & working across policy silos for a just transition and (4) Involve anchor institutions and their growing networks in just transitions. Taken together, these four routes forward expand the sustainability and just transition dimensions of existing CWB principles at various scales of governance, whilst advancing CWB research and thinking into novel directions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54294,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 101077"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145791368","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-15DOI: 10.1016/j.eist.2025.101071
Hella Hernberg, Kirsi Niinimäki
The essential transition from linear supply chains to circular ecosystems in the textile and fashion industries creates challenges regarding collaboration and knowledge exchange across previously disconnected sectors. In other sustainability transitions contexts, scholars have recognized the importance of intermediaries and champions for addressing related challenges. This paper investigates a European circular textile ecosystem that extends beyond single, linear supply chains, focusing on how intermediaries and champions engage in collaboration to advance circular textile development. We analyze their engagement under four modes, namely brokering, configuring, facilitating and capacitating, and structural negotiating, and further clarify differences in intermediaries’ and champions’ orientations toward such engagement. The paper provides insights into how intermediation and championing can strengthen cross-sectoral, circular textile ecosystem collaboration and promote a broader circular transition in the field. Knowledge on intermediation and championing is crucial for accelerating circularity in the textile sector, as various EU policies push toward rapid change.
{"title":"Modes and orientations of intermediation and championing: Advancing the circular transition in the textile industry","authors":"Hella Hernberg, Kirsi Niinimäki","doi":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101071","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101071","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The essential transition from linear supply chains to circular ecosystems in the textile and fashion industries creates challenges regarding collaboration and knowledge exchange across previously disconnected sectors. In other sustainability transitions contexts, scholars have recognized the importance of intermediaries and champions for addressing related challenges. This paper investigates a European circular textile ecosystem that extends beyond single, linear supply chains, focusing on how intermediaries and champions engage in collaboration to advance circular textile development. We analyze their engagement under four modes, namely <em>brokering, configuring, facilitating and capacitating,</em> and <em>structural negotiating,</em> and further clarify differences in intermediaries’ and champions’ <em>orientations</em> toward such engagement. The paper provides insights into how intermediation and championing can strengthen cross-sectoral, circular textile ecosystem collaboration and promote a broader circular transition in the field. Knowledge on intermediation and championing is crucial for accelerating circularity in the textile sector, as various EU policies push toward rapid change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54294,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 101071"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145791369","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
As coal- and carbon-intensive regions across Europe undergo structural transformation, ensuring that these energy transitions are just and inclusive requires policies that also address cultural, identity, inequality, and perceptual dimensions. This study evaluates whether the current national strategy in Greece risks locking the municipality of Megalopolis- an illustrative case of historical lignite dependence- into continued reliance on natural gas, thereby missing the opportunity for a fully green and inclusive transition by 2050. To do so, we combine transformative scenario design, informed by publicly available data and expert insights, with high-resolution demand-side management modelling. Three alternative transition pathways are simulated, reflecting varying levels of citizen engagement and policy ambition. Results show that a community-empowered transition based on early electrification, energy efficiency, and behavioural change can accelerate decarbonisation and reduce costs at both municipal and household levels, while aligning with the European Union’s climate objectives. Citizen participation emerges not only as a normative aspiration but as a practical lever for accelerating and democratising the energy transition. Supported by enabling policy frameworks and inclusive governance structures, stronger local engagement could guide post-carbon regions like Megalopolis toward more resilient and equitable energy futures.
{"title":"Modelling in support of community-empowered energy transitions: Transforming a coal- and carbon-intensive region into a municipality of energy citizens","authors":"Dimitris Papantonis, Vassilis Stavrakas, Alexandros Flamos","doi":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101079","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.eist.2025.101079","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As coal- and carbon-intensive regions across Europe undergo structural transformation, ensuring that these energy transitions are just and inclusive requires policies that also address cultural, identity, inequality, and perceptual dimensions. This study evaluates whether the current national strategy in Greece risks locking the municipality of Megalopolis- an illustrative case of historical lignite dependence- into continued reliance on natural gas, thereby missing the opportunity for a fully green and inclusive transition by 2050. To do so, we combine transformative scenario design, informed by publicly available data and expert insights, with high-resolution demand-side management modelling. Three alternative transition pathways are simulated, reflecting varying levels of citizen engagement and policy ambition. Results show that a community-empowered transition based on early electrification, energy efficiency, and behavioural change can accelerate decarbonisation and reduce costs at both municipal and household levels, while aligning with the European Union’s climate objectives. Citizen participation emerges not only as a normative aspiration but as a practical lever for accelerating and democratising the energy transition. Supported by enabling policy frameworks and inclusive governance structures, stronger local engagement could guide post-carbon regions like Megalopolis toward more resilient and equitable energy futures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54294,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions","volume":"59 ","pages":"Article 101079"},"PeriodicalIF":6.1,"publicationDate":"2025-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145730851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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