Informe El medio ambiente en Europa: Estado y perspectivas 2020

PART 3
FIGURE 17.1
The multilevel perspective on sustainability transitions
Landscape
Landscape developments put pressure on existing regime
Consumer
preferences
Science
Regime
Skills
Culture
Policy
Investments
The regime is initially stable
and evolves incrementally
Tensions occur in the regime,
creating windows
of opportunity
Multiple adjustments occur
in the regime and a new configuration
becomes established
Niches
Small networks of actors support innovation based on
expectations and visions. Experiments and learning take place
Emergence Diffusion Reconfiguration
Time
Source: Based on Geels (2002).
Sustainability transitions
are non-linear,
society‐wide processes
built on innovation and
knowledge creation.
communities and cities in enabling
more polycentric forms of governance,
founded on bottom-up action by
communities and other groups; the
potential impacts of systemic change
on society and the environment; and
the importance of practices, values,
worldviews and paradigms (EEA, 2018).
17.2.2
Implications for governance
The dynamics and interactions set
out in the multi-level perspective
point to the need for new governance
approaches to support sustainability
transitions. Historically, societies have
relied on governments to manage
the risks and harms associated
with economic growth — primarily
employing regulations and pricing
instruments to correct market
failures and using intergovernmental
agreements to address transboundary
issues and global collective action
problems such as climate change.
While these tools remain essential,
they also face important constraints.
For example, governments often face
significant political barriers when
seeking to introduce regulations and
pricing instruments consistent with
long-term sustainability goals. Equally,
the deficiencies of global governance
processes often mean that negotiated
targets lack the necessary ambition and
enforcement mechanisms.
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