Leverage points for sustainability transformation

Abstract

Despite substantial focus on sustainability issues in both science and politics, humanity remains on largely unsustainable development trajectories. Partly, this is due to the failure of sustainability science to engage with the root causes of unsustainability. Drawing on ideas by Donella Meadows, we argue that many sustainability interventions target highly tangible, but essentially weak, leverage points (i.e. using interventions that are easy, but have limited potential for transformational change). Thus, there is an urgent need to focus on less obvious but potentially far more powerful areas of intervention. We propose a research agenda inspired by systems thinking that focuses on transformational 'sustainability interventions', centred on three realms of leverage: reconnecting people to nature, restructuring institutions and rethinking how knowledge is created and used in pursuit of sustainability. The notion of leverage points has the potential to act as a boundary object for genuinely transformational sustainability science.

Values-led management: the guidance of place-based values in environmental relationships of the past, present, and future

“…However, whereas EBM might recognize the interconnections between people and the environment, its implementation is rarely founded on place-based values (though see Jones et al 2010, Kahui and Richards 2014, and Marine Planning Partnership Initiative 2015 for discussion on intersection of values-led management and EBM). By not addressing underlying values and worldviews, implementation of EBM might not have the deep leverage to bring about fundamental changes to overall environmental interactions (Meadows 1999, Abson et al 2017. Moreover, EBM often presents de novo approaches to relationships with the environment.…”

“…Global human activities have led to a series of ecological and socio-cultural crises (Vitousek et al 1997, Hilistis [Waterfall] et al 2001, Davis 2009, Dick et al 2012, Ceballos et al 2017, Betts et al 2017), a trend that has not abated in recent years despite growing knowledge of causes and a plethora of policies and actions geared toward addressing them , Abson et al 2017, Ceballos et al 2017. Given the lack of overall success to date, many have argued that adjustments to policies and market settings are not enough to tackle current ecological and socio-cultural crises, and that fundamental change is needed in how people relate to and draw sustenance from the environment (Martin et al 2016, Abson et al 2017).…”

“…Given the lack of overall success to date, many have argued that adjustments to policies and market settings are not enough to tackle current ecological and socio-cultural crises, and that fundamental change is needed in how people relate to and draw sustenance from the environment (Martin et al 2016, Abson et al 2017). …”

“…The metaphor of leverage points has been used to describe how creating small changes in one aspect of a complex system, e.g., social-ecological systems, can lead to substantial changes in its overall function or structure (Meadows 1999, Abson et al 2017). These range from shallow leverage points, where actions are straightforward but unlikely to result in broad changes, e.g., tweaking parameters such as quotas for extracted resources or rates of carbon taxes, to deep leverage points, where actions might be more difficult to implement but more likely to result in fundamental and transformational changes.…”

Ships as future floating farm systems

“…1 This might be due, at least in part, to the absence of adaptive management and complex challenges that hamper the balance between development and conservation goals. 2 Climate change, desertification, drought effects, dwindling arable lands and freshwater shortage in vast regions in the world are strong incentives to develop innovative and sustainable farming systems to ensure food supply and cope with environmental hazards.…”