Leverage points for sustainability transformations: nine guiding questions for sustainability science and practice

Julia Leventon; Dave J. Abson; Daniel J. Lang

doi:10.1007/s11625-021-00961-8

Leverage points for sustainability transformations: nine guiding questions for sustainability science and practice

Julia Leventon^*
, Dave J. Abson
, Daniel J. Lang

^*Corresponding author for this work

Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

Research output: Journal contributions › Other (editorial matter etc.) › Research

112 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The concept of leverage points offers great potential to consider how we can intervene in systems to create transformations for sustainability. In this special issue, we draw together a diverse collection of research that engages with this central idea. The papers cover three broad topics: (1) the use of a ‘leverage points lens’ for systems framings and understandings; (2) how individual interventions can be understood and critiqued from a leverage points perspective; and (3) the implications of a leverage points approach for research practice and action. Across these topics, we present the papers, and embed them within current critical debate in sustainability science. In doing so, we produce nine guiding questions to shape the research and practice of leverage points for sustainability transformation. These nine questions introduce conceptual clarity to untangle some of the deeper questions around which system we are engaging with, whose system counts, and whose sustainability we are seeking to create. They further shape how we deliver a leverage points research practice. We intend, therefore, that our guiding questions open up exploration across systems and worldviews, and help us to dance with systems.

Original language	English
Journal	Sustainability Science
Volume	16
Issue number	3
Pages (from-to)	721-726
Number of pages	6
ISSN	1862-4065
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-021-00961-8
Publication status	Published - 05.2021

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This research was funded by the Volkswagen Stiftung and the Nieders?chsisches Ministerium f?r Wissenschaft und Kultur, grant number A112269. We would also like to thank all the members of the Leverage Points project team for the inspiration and thoughts that helped shape our understanding and Guido Caniglia for his helpful and constructive comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. This research draws on work undertaken in a large transdisciplinary research project (Leverage Points for Sustainability Transformation). The authors acknowledge and thank all project members for their ideas and input in the early stages of this work, even where they are not listed as authors. Full details of project members and their research are available at https://leveragepoints.org

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).

Research areas and keywords

Sustainability science
Systems thinking
Transdisciplinarity
Transdisciplinary studies
Sustainability Science

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Ecology
Health(social science)
Global and Planetary Change
Nature and Landscape Conservation
Geography, Planning and Development
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Sociology and Political Science

Access to Document

10.1007/s11625-021-00961-8Licence: CC BY

1 Finished

Leverage Points for Sustainability Transformation: Institutions, People and Knowledge
Vilsmaier, U. (Project manager, academic), Lang, D. J. (Project manager, academic), Newig, J. (Project manager, academic), Fischer, J. (Project manager, academic), Schomerus, T. (Project manager, academic), von Wehrden, H. (Project manager, academic), Sieveking, A. (Project staff), Klaniecki, K. T. (Project staff), Dorninger, C. (Project staff), Clarke, E. A. (Project staff), Horcea-Milcu, A. I. (Project staff), Lam, D. (Project staff), Patru-Duse, I. A. (Project staff), Jager, N. W. (Project staff), Derwort, P. (Project staff), Patru-Duse, I. A. (Project staff), Apetrei, C.-I. (Project staff), Freeth, R. C. (Project staff), Engbers, M. (Project staff), Peukert, D. (Project staff), Berkau, A. J. (Project staff), Lutz, L. M. (Coordination), Leventon, J. (Project manager, academic) & Abson, D. (Project manager, academic)
Ministry of Science and Culture of the state of Lower Saxony in Germany
01.04.15 → 31.03.21
Project: Research

112 Citations
1 Other (editorial matter etc.)

Correction to: Leverage points for sustainability transformations: nine guiding questions for sustainability science and practice (Sustainability Science, (2021), 16, 3, (721-726), 10.1007/s11625-021-00961-8)
Leventon, J., Abson, D. J. & Lang, D. J., 01.09.2021, In: Sustainability Science. 16, 5, p. 1769-1769 1 p.
Research output: Journal contributions › Other (editorial matter etc.) › Research

Open Access
2 Citations (Scopus)

Cite this

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abstract = "The concept of leverage points offers great potential to consider how we can intervene in systems to create transformations for sustainability. In this special issue, we draw together a diverse collection of research that engages with this central idea. The papers cover three broad topics: (1) the use of a {\textquoteleft}leverage points lens{\textquoteright} for systems framings and understandings; (2) how individual interventions can be understood and critiqued from a leverage points perspective; and (3) the implications of a leverage points approach for research practice and action. Across these topics, we present the papers, and embed them within current critical debate in sustainability science. In doing so, we produce nine guiding questions to shape the research and practice of leverage points for sustainability transformation. These nine questions introduce conceptual clarity to untangle some of the deeper questions around which system we are engaging with, whose system counts, and whose sustainability we are seeking to create. They further shape how we deliver a leverage points research practice. We intend, therefore, that our guiding questions open up exploration across systems and worldviews, and help us to dance with systems.",

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Leverage points for sustainability transformations: nine guiding questions for sustainability science and practice

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Research areas and keywords

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

Leverage Points for Sustainability Transformation: Institutions, People and Knowledge

Research output

Correction to: Leverage points for sustainability transformations: nine guiding questions for sustainability science and practice (Sustainability Science, (2021), 16, 3, (721-726), 10.1007/s11625-021-00961-8)

Cite this