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© The Author(s) 2020
T. Mino, S. Kudo (eds.), Framing in Sustainability Science,
Science for Sustainable Societies, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-9061-6_3
Chapter 3
Approaches for Framing Sustainability
Challenges: Experiences from Swedish
Sustainability Science Education
Barry Ness
Abstract Sustainability challenges are defined by their complex and multifaceted
interactions between nature and society and contention as to how and where to
direct problem-solving efforts. This chapter presents four different approaches that
exist for framing sustainability challenge areas that are introduced and worked with
by students in LUMES International Master Programme in Environmental Studies
and Sustainability Science at Lund University in Sweden. The approaches include
the (1) Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework, (2) causal
loop diagrams (CLDs), (3) multi-scale and level perspective, including transition
theory and management, and the SES framework. Each approach is described and
critically assessed, especially from the perspective of student mastery. The outcome
of the chapter is a more comprehensive understanding of which approaches are useful for different sustainability problem constellations and a deeper comprehension
of how the framing tools can be taught in sustainability science education.
Keywords Framing approaches · Sustainability education · DPSIR · CLDs ·
Transition theory · SES framework · Sweden
3.1 Introduction
The field of sustainability science (Kates et al. 2001; Ness 2013; Jerneck et al. 2011)
has experienced rapid development since the turn of the twenty-first century. The
advances have extended down multiple trajectories within the realms of research
and education. One area where ambitions have been strongest is with efforts to more
closely link scholars to knowledge creation and problem-solving processes outside
of academia (Wiek et al. 2012; Spandenberg 2011). Many of the recent developments—with aspirations to guide societal change along more sustainable trajectories—have been carried out through a diverse set of transdisciplinary and
transformative methods with diverse actors through unique processes as transition
B. Ness (*)
Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS), Lund University, Lund, Sweden
e-mail: barry.ness@lucsus.lu.se
© The Author(s) 2020
T. Mino, S. Kudo (eds.), Framing in Sustainability Science,
Science for Sustainable Societies, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-9061-6_3
Chapter 3
Approaches for Framing Sustainability
Challenges: Experiences from Swedish
Sustainability Science Education
Barry Ness
Abstract Sustainability challenges are defined by their complex and multifaceted
interactions between nature and society and contention as to how and where to
direct problem-solving efforts. This chapter presents four different approaches that
exist for framing sustainability challenge areas that are introduced and worked with
by students in LUMES International Master Programme in Environmental Studies
and Sustainability Science at Lund University in Sweden. The approaches include
the (1) Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework, (2) causal
loop diagrams (CLDs), (3) multi-scale and level perspective, including transition
theory and management, and the SES framework. Each approach is described and
critically assessed, especially from the perspective of student mastery. The outcome
of the chapter is a more comprehensive understanding of which approaches are useful for different sustainability problem constellations and a deeper comprehension
of how the framing tools can be taught in sustainability science education.
Keywords Framing approaches · Sustainability education · DPSIR · CLDs ·
Transition theory · SES framework · Sweden
3.1 Introduction
The field of sustainability science (Kates et al. 2001; Ness 2013; Jerneck et al. 2011)
has experienced rapid development since the turn of the twenty-first century. The
advances have extended down multiple trajectories within the realms of research
and education. One area where ambitions have been strongest is with efforts to more
closely link scholars to knowledge creation and problem-solving processes outside
of academia (Wiek et al. 2012; Spandenberg 2011). Many of the recent developments—with aspirations to guide societal change along more sustainable trajectories—have been carried out through a diverse set of transdisciplinary and
transformative methods with diverse actors through unique processes as transition
B. Ness (*)
Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS), Lund University, Lund, Sweden
e-mail: barry.ness@lucsus.lu.se