Elzen, Boelie, Geels, Frank W., Green, Ken, and Hofman, Peter S. (2004) Socio-technical Scenarios as a Tool for Transition Policy: An Example from the Traffic and Transport Domain. In: Elzen, Boelie, Geels, Frank W., and Green, Ken, (eds.) System Innovation and the Transition to Sustainability: Theory, Evidence and Policy. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, UK, pp. 251-281.

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Abstract

Modern societies face huge challenges related to existing socio-technical systems which are difficult to tackle without fundmental change. An example is the agriculture-food system with various unsustainable features like BSE, foot and mouth disease, high nitrous emissions, etc. Another example is watersupply with symptoms like floodings, soil dehydration, water quality problems. Also the transport system faces structural problems like congestion, atmosferic pollution (NOx and particulates), and CO2-emissions. Such problems are deeply rooted in societal structures and institutions and are closely related to societal processes. To solve such problems fundamentally requires transitions or system innovations as is argued in the fourth Dutch National Environmental Policy Plan (VROM 2001).

A transition in this sense denotes a long-term development process in an encompassing system that fulfills a basic societal function like feeding, mobility, energy, communication, etc. A transition implies a drastic change of the technical as well as the societal and cultural diminsions of such a system. This emphasis on coevolution of technical and societal change distinguishes transitions from more incremental processes of innovation which are primarily characterised by technnical development (successive generations of technologies) while the societal embedding of these technologies changes relatively little (cf. Geels in this volume).

Item ID:	76043
Item Type:	Book Chapter (Research - B1)
ISBN:	9781843766834
Copyright Information:	© Boelie Elzen, Frank W. Geels, Ken Green 2004.
Date Deposited:	05 Oct 2023 00:02
FoR Codes:	35 COMMERCE, MANAGEMENT, TOURISM AND SERVICES > 3503 Business systems in context > 350304 Business systems in context @ 30% 35 COMMERCE, MANAGEMENT, TOURISM AND SERVICES > 3503 Business systems in context > 350307 Technology management @ 40% 44 HUMAN SOCIETY > 4410 Sociology > 441007 Sociology and social studies of science and technology @ 30%
SEO Codes:	28 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 2801 Expanding knowledge > 280106 Expanding knowledge in commerce, management, tourism and services @ 40% 15 ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK > 1503 Management and productivity > 150306 Technological and organisational innovation @ 60%
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