impact: changes in overarching systems always reshape the framework of action for
smaller units, whereas only a critical number of changes on lower levels are likely
to impact higher levels.
The other joint message is that despite the good intentions of many actors
involved, unsustainable trends persist, a phenomenon that can best be understood
through a systemic view that recognizes not only economic and technological
dimensions of innovation but also institutional and sociocultural aspects. The latter
affect not only which solutions take off but also whether their adoption will
transform or perpetuate system dynamics. One great demonstration of the added
value of such a holistic systemic approach is the search for answers for the widely
observed ‘rebound effect,’ namely, while resource efficiency goals and standards
reduce the relative resource use per product or service, overall resource use is not
coming down.
This observation was originally made by William Stanley Jevons in 1865
regarding coal extraction. The steam engine alleviated the need for coal in one
sector but the fall in prices then made it economically viable to use coal in many
other contexts, which increased overall extraction again. This example is now
known as the Jevons Paradox and he generalized it into the statement that a more
economic use of a resource must not be confused with its sparing use (Jevons
1866). More recent examples include the technological advances in transport
technologies for cars and planes, which have made each kilometer of distance
traveled more efficient and therefore economically cheaper. The consequence was a
spurt in kilometers traveled and rising emissions from the transport sector.
Thus, without checking holistically for the driving factors behind resource
extraction, we cannot change the overexploiting trajectory. If we begin with the
most obvious drivers, we must consider the number of people: population levels
(landscape) are still growing and at the same time a significant percentage of people
live with fewer material goods than they need for a decent life. But this can hardly
explain the persistence of rising resource consumption in countries with saturated
material needs and stable population levels. Here, when we examine the regime
level, we find, for example, business models based on constantly increasing outputs
embedded in market patterns geared at constant competitive growth of national
output. As a consequence, billions are spent on marketing measures to ensure that a
consumer culture (landscape level) guarantees demand for, or at least acceptance of,
what could count as oversupply. This culture then runs counter to solutions that
involve raising prices for resources that would in turn make products expensive:
people have become used to rapidly changing fashion or technology trends and the
short product-lives in throw-away use patterns and business models (regime). As a
consequence, absolute resource use increases despite impressive technological
efficiency advances in pioneering products or firms (niches).
Transition research therefore starts with one particular persistent problem or
undesirable trend and seeks to find and understand the key reasons, drivers and
stabilizers of the system to which it is host. The overarching term used for multifarious different stabilizers of certain system dynamics or development in
2.1 Digging into Societal Transformation and System Innovation Research
23
smaller units, whereas only a critical number of changes on lower levels are likely
to impact higher levels.
The other joint message is that despite the good intentions of many actors
involved, unsustainable trends persist, a phenomenon that can best be understood
through a systemic view that recognizes not only economic and technological
dimensions of innovation but also institutional and sociocultural aspects. The latter
affect not only which solutions take off but also whether their adoption will
transform or perpetuate system dynamics. One great demonstration of the added
value of such a holistic systemic approach is the search for answers for the widely
observed ‘rebound effect,’ namely, while resource efficiency goals and standards
reduce the relative resource use per product or service, overall resource use is not
coming down.
This observation was originally made by William Stanley Jevons in 1865
regarding coal extraction. The steam engine alleviated the need for coal in one
sector but the fall in prices then made it economically viable to use coal in many
other contexts, which increased overall extraction again. This example is now
known as the Jevons Paradox and he generalized it into the statement that a more
economic use of a resource must not be confused with its sparing use (Jevons
1866). More recent examples include the technological advances in transport
technologies for cars and planes, which have made each kilometer of distance
traveled more efficient and therefore economically cheaper. The consequence was a
spurt in kilometers traveled and rising emissions from the transport sector.
Thus, without checking holistically for the driving factors behind resource
extraction, we cannot change the overexploiting trajectory. If we begin with the
most obvious drivers, we must consider the number of people: population levels
(landscape) are still growing and at the same time a significant percentage of people
live with fewer material goods than they need for a decent life. But this can hardly
explain the persistence of rising resource consumption in countries with saturated
material needs and stable population levels. Here, when we examine the regime
level, we find, for example, business models based on constantly increasing outputs
embedded in market patterns geared at constant competitive growth of national
output. As a consequence, billions are spent on marketing measures to ensure that a
consumer culture (landscape level) guarantees demand for, or at least acceptance of,
what could count as oversupply. This culture then runs counter to solutions that
involve raising prices for resources that would in turn make products expensive:
people have become used to rapidly changing fashion or technology trends and the
short product-lives in throw-away use patterns and business models (regime). As a
consequence, absolute resource use increases despite impressive technological
efficiency advances in pioneering products or firms (niches).
Transition research therefore starts with one particular persistent problem or
undesirable trend and seeks to find and understand the key reasons, drivers and
stabilizers of the system to which it is host. The overarching term used for multifarious different stabilizers of certain system dynamics or development in
2.1 Digging into Societal Transformation and System Innovation Research
23