An archetype analysis of sustainability innovations in Biosphere Reserves: Insights for assessing transformative potential
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In: Environmental Science & Policy, Vol. 153, 103674, 01.03.2024.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - An archetype analysis of sustainability innovations in Biosphere Reserves: Insights for assessing transformative potential
AU - Dabard, Caroline Hélène
AU - Mann, Carsten
AU - Martín-López, Berta
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024
PY - 2024/3/1
Y1 - 2024/3/1
N2 - Sustainability transformations are considered to provide pathways to solve current wicked problems, although empirical approaches to assess their actual transformative potential are still limited. In this study, we analyse a diverse set of 129 sustainability innovations in two Biosphere Reserves in Germany and France (Schorfheide-Chorin and Fontainebleau-Gâtinais), based on an analytical framework that characterises innovations through actors, processes and outcomes. With a hierarchical cluster analysis conducted on innovation outcomes, we identify six archetypes: Participative Transformation Governance, New Sectors for Social-ecological Transformations, Social and Sustainable Entrepreneurs, Social Innovations, Service Innovations and Technological Efficiency Innovations. The most transformative archetype, Participative Transformation Governance, targets both shallow and deep leverage points, while implementing diverse amplifying strategies to enhance impacts. The least transformative archetypes, e.g. Service Innovations, target shallow leverage points and lack amplifying strategies. Our archetype approach thus proves suitable for capturing a diverse range of sustainability innovations and characterising their transformative outcomes. Synergies between archetypes could be identified and further research should elaborate on the bridging role of Biosphere Reserves to best use synergies and enhance transformative processes.
AB - Sustainability transformations are considered to provide pathways to solve current wicked problems, although empirical approaches to assess their actual transformative potential are still limited. In this study, we analyse a diverse set of 129 sustainability innovations in two Biosphere Reserves in Germany and France (Schorfheide-Chorin and Fontainebleau-Gâtinais), based on an analytical framework that characterises innovations through actors, processes and outcomes. With a hierarchical cluster analysis conducted on innovation outcomes, we identify six archetypes: Participative Transformation Governance, New Sectors for Social-ecological Transformations, Social and Sustainable Entrepreneurs, Social Innovations, Service Innovations and Technological Efficiency Innovations. The most transformative archetype, Participative Transformation Governance, targets both shallow and deep leverage points, while implementing diverse amplifying strategies to enhance impacts. The least transformative archetypes, e.g. Service Innovations, target shallow leverage points and lack amplifying strategies. Our archetype approach thus proves suitable for capturing a diverse range of sustainability innovations and characterising their transformative outcomes. Synergies between archetypes could be identified and further research should elaborate on the bridging role of Biosphere Reserves to best use synergies and enhance transformative processes.
KW - Transformation
KW - Sustainability transitions
KW - Social-ecological systems
KW - Social innovation
KW - Leverage points
KW - Amplification
KW - Sustainability Governance
KW - Sustainability sciences, Communication
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85183325785&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/7d5cae2b-6d26-3221-a457-8d852f9276e8/
U2 - 10.1016/j.envsci.2024.103674
DO - 10.1016/j.envsci.2024.103674
M3 - Journal articles
VL - 153
JO - Environmental Science & Policy
JF - Environmental Science & Policy
SN - 1462-9011
M1 - 103674
ER -