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Abstract Humans are significantly impacting ecosystems worldwide. Scientists of the IPBES Global Assessment are therefore calling for a transformative change that includes all aspects of society in order to address drivers of biodiversity loss. However, these calls are rather abstract, and thus it remains unclear how this goal can be achieved. With this conceptual contribution, we present an analytical framework for evaluating existing processes of societal change which are enhancing biodiversity, and we illustrate its application using three case studies in Germany. We argue that an empirical analysis provides insights into the causal mechanisms that initiate or promote change processes. In doing so, we can draw recommendations for future transformative change processes with regard to biodiversity conservation. In our analysis, we are dealing with questions concerning the following three areas: the drivers and context of societal change processes, the change processes themselves and finally their impacts. Subsequently, we generate recommendations on how to enhance and support the process of future societal transformation that aims at biodiversity conservation: (a) Retaining co‐benefits for biodiversity with goals that are primarily focussing on other objectives; (b) harmonising biodiversity use and conservation by turning conflicts into drivers of transformation; (c) prioritising biodiversity conservation by taking advantage of windows of opportunity. With our conceptual framework, we provide an analytical tool to learn from existing processes of societal change how to support future transformative change. This is an important step that contributes to the generation of relevant knowledge of promoting transformative change for nature and people. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Abstract To investigate whether and how Social Innovation (SI) can contribute to transformative change, we explored nine Native Seed Collectors Networks (NSCNs) in Brazil. Employing Social Network Analysis, we delved into the organisational structure of four NSCNs. Additionally, we identified five instances of social innovations (SIs) using the guiding questions of the Social Innovation—Forest and Landscape Restoration (SI‐FLR) framework. These networks, which received a total of US$ 12 million in investments from 2018 to 2021, have not only contributed to the production of 180 tonnes of native seeds but also had a significant socioeconomic impact. They have generated a total income of US$ 1.01 million for 997 seed collectors, 46% of whom are from traditional communities and marginalised groups. Furthermore, 55% of these collectors are women, and 23% rely solely on seed collection as their only source of income. While the NSCNs represent a fledgling economy, they have effectively activated local agency capacity. With the support of the NSCNs' social capital, a favourable context and clear motivations, this agency capacity can trigger SIs. By generating positive impacts, these SIs are changing values and empowering local agents (scaling deep), inspiring agents in other geographies (scaling out) and even influencing policies favourable to socially inclusive landscape restoration (scaling up). This three‐dimensional scaling underscores the catalysing power of SI in NSCNs and their potential contribution to transformative change. We also emphasise the role of public bodies in promoting enabling conditions, the vital role of local experimentation and the rarely evidenced local agency capacity to leverage SIs in FLR. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) persists as a global health challenge, with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) constituting over 85% of all cases. India, with its distinctive demographic challenges, bears a significant burden, especially impacting the economically vital age group of 15 to 60 years. Methods: Our prospective study, conducted at the National Institute of Medical Science & Research, Jaipur, Rajasthan, encompassed a comprehensive reassessment of PTB subjects. Clinical evaluations, laboratory investigations, and radiological assessments, including chest X-rays (CXR) and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), were employed. A sample size of 320 cases underwent meticulous statistical analysis, adhering to ethical considerations. Results: Analysis revealed no significant association between gender and PTB cases (χ² = 0.186, df = 1, p = 0.666) or between age, gender, and PTB diagnosis (χ² = 4.651, df = 3, p = 0.266). Radiological findings demonstrated noteworthy correlations, emphasizing their diagnostic significance. Chest X-ray findings associated significantly with patchy infiltrate, mediastinal lymphadenopathy, fibrosis, and pleural effusion (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Our study unravels the complex tapestry of PTB, highlighting its historical significance and contemporary challenges. The pivotal role of radiological precision in diagnosis is underscored, especially in India's high-burden context. The findings emphasize the need for nuanced approaches and ongoing research to enhance our understanding and management of TB. As we confront the radiological intricacies of PTB, this study contributes to the discourse aimed at fostering transformative change in TB care and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate whether and how Social Innovation (SI) can contribute to transformative change, we explored nine Native Seed Collectors Networks (NSCNs) in Brazil. Employing Social Network Analysis, we delved into the organisational structure of four NSCNs. Additionally, we identified five instances of social innovations (SIs) using the guiding questions of the Social Innovation—Forest and Landscape Restoration (SI‐FLR) framework.These networks, which received a total of US$ 12 million in investments from 2018 to 2021, have not only contributed to the production of 180 tonnes of native seeds but also had a significant socioeconomic impact. They have generated a total income of US$ 1.01 million for 997 seed collectors, 46% of whom are from traditional communities and marginalised groups. Furthermore, 55% of these collectors are women, and 23% rely solely on seed collection as their only source of income.While the NSCNs represent a fledgling economy, they have effectively activated local agency capacity. With the support of the NSCNs' social capital, a favourable context and clear motivations, this agency capacity can trigger SIs. By generating positive impacts, these SIs are changing values and empowering local agents (scaling deep), inspiring agents in other geographies (scaling out) and even influencing policies favourable to socially inclusive landscape restoration (scaling up). This three‐dimensional scaling underscores the catalysing power of SI in NSCNs and their potential contribution to transformative change.We also emphasise the role of public bodies in promoting enabling conditions, the vital role of local experimentation and the rarely evidenced local agency capacity to leverage SIs in FLR. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Resumo: Para investigar se e como a Inovação Social (IS) pode contribuir para a mudança transformativa, exploramos nove Redes de Coletores de Sementes Nativas (RCSNs) no Brasil. Empregamos a Análise de Redes Sociais para investigar a estrutura organizacional de quatro RCSNs. Além disso, identificamos cinco casos de inovações sociais (ISs) usando as perguntas orientadoras da estrutura analítica Restauração Socio‐Inovadora e Paisagens (RESIP).De 2018 a 2021, essas redes receberam um total de US$ 12 milhões em investimentos, e não apenas contribuíram para a produção de 180 toneladas de sementes nativas, mas também tiveram um impacto socioeconômico significativo. Elas geraram uma renda total de US$ 1,01 milhão para 997 coletores de sementes, 46% dos quais são comunidades tradicionais e grupos economicamente marginalizados. Além disso, 55% desses coletores são mulheres e 23% dependem exclusivamente da coleta de sementes como sua única fonte de renda.Embora essas RCSNs representem uma economia incipiente, eles efetivamente ativaram a capacidade de agência local. Com o apoio do capital social das RCSNs, um contexto favorável e motivações claras, essa capacidade de agência pode desencadear inovações sociais. Ao gerar impactos positivos, essas ISs transformam valores e empoderam agentes locais ('scaling deep'), inspiram agentes em outras regiões ('scaling out') e influenciam políticas favoráveis à restauração de paisagens socialmente inclusivas ('scaling up'). Esse escalonamento tridimensional ressalta o poder catalisador de ISs nas RCSNs e sua contribuição potencial para a mudança transformativa.Também enfatizamos o papel dos órgãos públicos na promoção de condições favoráveis, o papel vital da experimentação local e a, raramente evidenciada, capacidade de agência local, em alavancar ISs na Restauração de Paisagens e Florestas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humans are significantly impacting ecosystems worldwide. Scientists of the IPBES Global Assessment are therefore calling for a transformative change that includes all aspects of society in order to address drivers of biodiversity loss. However, these calls are rather abstract, and thus it remains unclear how this goal can be achieved.With this conceptual contribution, we present an analytical framework for evaluating existing processes of societal change which are enhancing biodiversity, and we illustrate its application using three case studies in Germany. We argue that an empirical analysis provides insights into the causal mechanisms that initiate or promote change processes. In doing so, we can draw recommendations for future transformative change processes with regard to biodiversity conservation. In our analysis, we are dealing with questions concerning the following three areas: the drivers and context of societal change processes, the change processes themselves and finally their impacts.Subsequently, we generate recommendations on how to enhance and support the process of future societal transformation that aims at biodiversity conservation: (a) Retaining co‐benefits for biodiversity with goals that are primarily focussing on other objectives; (b) harmonising biodiversity use and conservation by turning conflicts into drivers of transformation; (c) prioritising biodiversity conservation by taking advantage of windows of opportunity.With our conceptual framework, we provide an analytical tool to learn from existing processes of societal change how to support future transformative change. This is an important step that contributes to the generation of relevant knowledge of promoting transformative change for nature and people. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Zusammenfassung: 1. Der Mensch hat weltweit erhebliche Auswirkungen auf die Ökosysteme. Die Wissenschaftler*innen von IPBES fordern daher einen transformativen Wandel, der alle Aspekte der Gesellschaft einbezieht, um die Ursachen für den Verlust der biologischen Vielfalt zu bekämpfen. Allerdings ist noch immer unklar, wie dieses Ziel erreicht werden kann. 2. Mit diesem konzeptionellen Beitrag stellen wir einen analytischen Rahmen für die Bewertung von gesellschaftlichen Veränderungsprozessen vor, die die biologische Vielfalt fördern. Darüber hinaus illustrieren wir dessen Anwendung anhand von drei Fallstudien in Deutschland, denn eine empirische Analyse kann Einblicke in die kausalen Mechanismen liefern, inwieweit transformative Prozesse initiiert oder gefördert werden können. In unserer Analyse befassen wir uns mit Fragen zu den folgenden drei Bereichen: den Triebkräften und dem Kontext gesellschaftlicher Veränderungsprozesse, den Veränderungsprozessen selbst und schließlich ihren Auswirkungen. 3. Anschließend erarbeiten wir Empfehlungen, wie der Prozess eines gesellschaftlichen Wandels gefördert werden kann, um die biologische Vielfalt zu erhalten: (1) Wahrung des Co‐Benefits für die biologische Vielfalt bei Zielen, die sich in erster Linie auf andere Ziele konzentrieren; (2) Harmonisierung von Schutz und Nutzung der biologischen Vielfalt durch Umwandlung von Konflikten in Triebkräfte des Wandels; (3) Priorisierung des Schutzes der biologischen Vielfalt durch Nutzung von Gelegenheitsfenstern. 4. Mit unserem konzeptionellen Rahmen stellen wir ein analytisches Instrument zur Verfügung, mit dem sich untersuchen lässt, wie gesellschaftliche Veränderungsprozesse gestaltet und umgesetzt werden können, die einen Beitrag zum Schutz der biologischen Vielfalt leisten. Dies ist ein wichtiger Schritt zur Generierung von relevantem Wissen, mit dem Ziel, einen transformativen Wandel für Natur und Menschen zu fördern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence is presented that innovation across aquaculture value chains can contribute to poverty reduction through income generation and increased consumption of nutritious aquatic foods. Innovation is defined and contextualized in relation to aquaculture development. Opportunities for aquaculture innovation across value chains for poverty reduction and sustainable production are described. Contemporary trends in aquaculture development in Bangladesh and India, with a focus on 2011-2020, are reviewed, as understanding transformative change to aquatic food systems during this period could benefit millions of poor and marginal consumers. Market-led commercial production, instigated by private sector entrepreneurs for domestic markets, has underpinned the surge in freshwater fish culture in key geographical locations. In contrast booms in shrimp production have been associated with export opportunities and related cycles of boom-and-bust have been described, with busts attributed to falling market prices and disease outbreaks. Innovation could safeguard supplies of affordable fish to poorer groups (especially young children and pregnant and breastfeeding women) and enable better health management of aquatic animals including coordination of surveillance and disease control measures. Innovation to effectively promote better management practices and integrated services provision to large numbers of small- and medium-scale producers could contribute to poverty reduction. Opportunities for future innovation to ensure that aquaculture development is sustainable are critically reviewed. Innovative strategies to add value to byproducts and utilize waste resources could avoid negative environmental impacts, recycle nutrients and create income generating opportunities. A new paradigm for development assistance that identifies and supports promising innovation trajectories across jurisdictions, product value chains, institutional regimes and food systems is needed. Government agencies must be responsive to the needs of businesses throughout aquatic food systems and devise policies and regulatory regimes that support transformative and sustained growth of the aquaculture sector. Investment in capacity-building, education, research and training and action to promote an enabling institutional environment must be regarded as essential elements to maximize and share equitably the benefits arising and avoid potential negative impacts of inappropriate innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canadian ski tourism destinations face increasing climate and carbon risks yet are not currently prepared to adapt to climate change or a decarbonized future. Considering the urgency of climate change and complexity of tourism systems, ski destinations need research identifying stakeholder-held climate and carbon risk perceptions, wider socioeconomic determinants of climate preparedness, and opportunities to accelerate climate decision-making and responsiveness. Using socioeconomic system frameworks, this study analyses secondary research including academic literature, climate action plans, alongside primary qualitative research collected from industry, government and community stakeholder narratives to investigate climate change and climate responsiveness in five Canadian ski tourism destinations. Despite localized climate and carbon risks, results highlight patterns impeding climate preparedness including rapid tourism growth, recreation resource corporatization, externalized climate action and sustainability, inequities, and lack of aspirational collective visioning. Conversely, stakeholders' pluralistic tourism and recreation values, sense-of-place, and interdependent relationships reveal pathways for mountain tourism destinations to transform towards climate resilient, sustainable, and just futures.

This article offers a synthesized perspective on a future-oriented process for transformational change makers, here called transformation catalysts, to catalyze systemic change through processes of connecting, cohering, and amplifying the transformational change work of multiple initiatives in numerous social-ecological contexts. Oriented towards purposeful or deliberate system change towards just, equitable, inclusive, and thriving social-ecological systems, the outlined processes of connecting, cohering, and amplifying provide a template or framework for organizing co-creative approaches. This process brings multiple, typically independent individuals and initiatives into alignment, connecting them through shared understanding of the system and determining what is already happening and who is doing what through mapping key stakeholders and their activities. Through visioning and similar processes, transformation catalysts enable different actors to align and cohere their shared aspirations and develop joint and individual action plans in what can then emerge as a self-aware and potentially more effective transformation system comprised of these actors. The amplification process involves the implementation of planned actions, both independently and in concert with others, evaluating and learning from those processes, and adapting future efforts. The latter includes developing, if appropriate, additional transformational efforts and catalysts in different parts of the system to create ongoing momentum. The example of WE All, the Wellbeing Economy Alliance, with information drawn from the website, is used to illustrate these ideas.

There is an urgent need for transformational change in global and UK agriculture. Current practices undermine the long-term future of farming and impoverish ecosystems in the UK and elsewhere. However, change is not happening at the scale and pace which is needed. Work by David Abson, drawing on ideas by Donella Meadows, explored this failure of progress and proposed a research agenda focused on transformational leverage points which influence sustainability. These points are centred on three realms of leverage: reconnecting people to nature, restructuring institutions and rethinking how knowledge is created and used in pursuit of sustainability. In this paper, these ideas are explored through a combined researcher/stakeholder workshop focused on transformational change in UK livestock systems. Workshop participants were asked to discuss and identify potential levers of change under the three realms identified by Abson. The multiplicity of levers identified and the interactions across realms emphasise the need for new kinds of knowledge creation which are highly transdisciplinary, as well as emphasising the complexity of levers which are likely to play a role in the transformation of livestock food systems in the UK and elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As dominant approaches to biodiversity loss and climate change continue to fail in mitigating current socio‐environmental crises, scholars and activists are exploring novel conceptual frameworks to drive transformative change in conservation. Among these, more‐than‐human care has emerged as a concept at the intersection of feminist debates about care and post‐humanist discussions around the more‐than‐human. Although more‐than‐human care is increasingly referenced in the literature, it remains sparsely situated in the Global South. This article investigates the concept's potential to articulate care relations that can foster more plural, respectful, and transformative biodiversity conservation practices in local communities. Our research is situated in an artisanal fishing village in Brazil, where we engaged with both human and non‐human members of the community to engage with their perspectives on more‐than‐human care and its relevance to their local concerns. From our analysis, four key dimensions emerged: the vital and everyday nature of caring; the relationality between humans and non‐humans; reciprocity; and the fostering of flourishing for as many as possible. Our core argument is that the interaction between community practices and care theory enables new perspectives that center on daily and reciprocal care relations often overlooked in mainstream conservation approaches. By situating the conceptual potential of more‐than‐human care within the Global South, we underscore its ability to make the invisible visible and to inspire action for transformative change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy action for sustainability transformation faces inherent and ever-present sources of conflict, pushback, and resistance (i.e., discord). However, conceptual frameworks and policy prescriptions for sustainability transformations often reflect an undue image of accord. This involves simplified assumptions about consensus, steering, friction, discreteness, and additiveness of policy action, conferring an unrealistic view of the potential to deliberately realize transformation. Instead, negotiating discord through continuously finding partial political settlements among divided actors needs to become a key focus of policy action for sustainability transformations. Doing so can help to navigate deeply political settings through imperfect but workable steps that loosen deadlock, generate momentum for further policy action, and avoid complete derailment of transformation agendas when discord arises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

‘New economics’ discourses – comprising diverse approaches advocated as more just and sustainable replacements of dominant neoclassical and neoliberal economic perspectives – have been criticised as insufficiently coherent to form the ‘discourse coalitions’ necessary to enter the mainstream. To date there has been little systematic exploration of the agreement or divergence in new economics discourses. Here, we conduct a qualitative systematised review of new economics literature in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic to analyse stances towards the economic status quo and the depth of change advocated in it, such as fundamental and systemic transformation or more superficial reformist or accepting types of change that mostly maintain current economic systems. We interpreted authors’ stances towards six key status quo themes: capitalism; neoliberalism; GDP-based economic growth; debt-based money; globalisation; and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the 525 documents analysed, there was relative consensus that neoliberalism needed transforming, stances towards GDP-based growth substantially diverged (from transformative to reformist/accepting), and stances towards the SDGs were mostly accepting, although the status quo themes tended to be infrequently mentioned overall. Different new economics approaches were associated with diverging stances. We suggest that alignment against neoliberalism and towards the SDGs may provide strategic coalescing points for new economics. Because stances towards core problematised aspects of mainstream economics were often not articulated, we encourage new economics scholars and practitioners to remain explicit, aware and reflexive with regard to the economic status quo, as well as strategic in their approach to seeking economic transformation.

The exotic pet trade poses a major threat to biodiversity conservation. To combat biodiversity loss, it is essential to reduce demand for exotic pets and engage people in civic actions for wildlife conservation. Although messaging has been extensively used in conservation practice, little is known about how it can influence attitudes and various types of actions pertaining to the exotic pet trade. This study examined the impact of conservation messaging in the context of exotic pet ownership and wildlife entertainment visitation as common practices of the exotic pet trade. We randomly assigned participants in the United States to one of five messaging conditions: biodiversity loss and animal abuse (M1), zoonotic disease risks (M2), illegality (M3), social disapproval (M4), and neutral biological information as a control condition (M5). We found that all conservation messages (M1–M4) significantly decreased people's favorable attitudes toward the exotic pet trade and their desire to visit wildlife entertainment. However, conservation messaging did not influence the desire for exotic pet ownership or intentions to take civic actions. Our findings highlight the potential of conservation messaging for attitude change and demand reduction for wildlife entertainment, but different approaches are necessary for promoting more effortful actions such as exotic pet ownership and civic actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shift from a linear economy to a circular bioeconomy comes with many challenges in culture, behavior, business, technology and institutions, requiring transformative change. Circular initiatives are considered starting points for such a transformation as they demonstrate tangible alternatives to a linear, fossil-based economy. However, detailed insights into the progress of circular impact made by these initiatives have been lacking. Furthermore, conceptualizations of their development have primarily focused on upscaling, neglecting the diverse and dynamic development trajectories these initiatives might take in practice. The research aim of this paper was to better understand how circular initiatives contribute to transformative change. This study empirically explored three different development trajectories of circular initiatives; deepening (become more radical and circular), broadening (connecting with other domains and agendas) and spreading (becoming larger and more numerous). Based on interviews and desk research, 31 circular initiatives in the Netherlands were studied– in the domains of agriculture, biobased materials, marine research, and nature. The results revealed eight configurations, which are combinations of mechanisms that together guided initiatives’ development: deepening of initiatives was triggered by 1) focus and 2) reorganization: broadening was driven by 3) unusual collaboration, 4) aligning interests and 5) establishing a focus; and spreading occurred through 6) increasing capacity, 7) credibility and 8) offering perspective. These eight configurations provided in-depth insights into the diverse and dynamic development of circular initiatives. The configurations highlighted the significance of the interplay of mechanisms in studying the development of initiatives and in designing strategies to guide current and future circular initiatives.

There is an urgent need for transformational change in global and UK agriculture. Current practices undermine the long-term future of farming and impoverish ecosystems in the UK and elsewhere. However, change is not happening at the scale and pace which is needed. Work by David Abson, drawing on ideas by Donella Meadows, explored this failure of progress and proposed a research agenda focused on transformational leverage points which influence sustainability. These points are centred on three realms of leverage: reconnecting people to nature, restructuring institutions and rethinking how knowledge is created and used in pursuit of sustainability. In this paper, these ideas are explored through a combined researcher/stakeholder workshop focused on transformational change in UK livestock systems. Workshop participants were asked to discuss and identify potential levers of change under the three realms identified by Abson. The multiplicity of levers identified and the interactions across realms emphasise the need for new kinds of knowledge creation which are highly transdisciplinary, as well as emphasising the complexity of levers which are likely to play a role in the transformation of livestock food systems in the UK and elsewhere.

Abstract In the pathway toward environmental sustainability, it is important that we understand how individuals can make a difference through diverse types of engagement. Theories suggest that transformative change toward a sustainable future requires individuals to engage in not only private actions (e.g. household energy saving, recycling) but also social‐signalling and system‐changing civic actions (e.g. opinion sharing, voting, petition signing and protesting). Yet, past research on pro‐environmental behaviour has primarily focused on private actions, while overlooking individual contributions to facilitating widespread change through civic actions. We use the exotic pet trade as a focal case to understand how individuals may act to promote environmental sustainability through different patterns of engagement and what factors might explain these distinct patters of action. Results from an online survey about behavioural intentions in the United States (n = 527) revealed three types of individual action that could transform the exotic pet trade. Private actions clustered separately from civic actions. Within the category of civic actions, a distinction emerged between lower social‐commitment actions and higher social‐commitment actions, based on the perceived level of social engagement and personal efforts involved. We also found that each type of action was associated with unique factors, highlighting the importance of attitudes, perceived social norms, and relational values for variously promoting individual engagement among the U.S. public. Our findings suggest that these distinct types of action should be treated differently when designing future wildlife conservation campaigns and behaviour change interventions. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

On March 6, 2024, JAFSCD conducted its sixth annual general meeting of members of the JAFSCD Shareholder Consortium, which includes shareholders who support JAFSCD as an open-access journal through annual contributions. The theme of this year’s meeting was how JAFSCD could become a more transformative journal—that is, a journal that effectively rallies scholars, activists, and change agents to collaboratively build bridges to a better food system, locally and globally. JAFSCD takes its cues on this critical subject from its fiscal sponsor, the Center for Transformative Action, a nonprofit affiliate of Cornell University. . . .

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Anthropogenic planetary disruptions, from climate change to biodiversity loss, are unprecedented challenges for human societies. Some societies, social groups, cultural practices, technologies and institutions are already disintegrating or disappearing as a result. However, this coupling of socially produced environmental challenges with disruptive social changes—the Anthropocene condition—is not new. From food-producing hunter–gatherers, to farmers, to urban industrial food systems, the current planetary entanglement has its roots in millennia of evolving and accumulating sociocultural capabilities for shaping the cultured environments that our societies have always lived in (sociocultural niche construction). When these transformative capabilities to shape environments are coupled with sociocultural adaptations enabling societies to more effectively shape and live in transformed environments, the social–ecological scales and intensities of these transformations can accelerate through a positive feedback loop of 'runaway sociocultural niche construction'. Efforts to achieve a better future for both people and planet will depend on guiding this runaway evolutionary process towards better outcomes by redirecting Earth's most disruptive force of nature: the power of human aspirations. To guide this unprecedented planetary force, cultural narratives that appeal to human aspirations for a better future will be more effective than narratives of environmental crisis and overstepping natural boundaries. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolution and sustainability: gathering the strands for an Anthropocene synthesis'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of climate change, protected areas play an important role in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and addressing resource nexus challenges. However, setting protected areas for long-term conservation is often criticised for using narratives based on political, economic, and scientific assumptions to justify which elements of nature should be conserved and what actions should be implemented, creating a sense that conservation outcomes are desirable and universally accepted. Such narratives exclude other voices, values, and practices, limiting alternative options for the future. Adapting protected areas to climate change requires innovative approaches to address societal challenges and critically examining conservation strategies to make informed decisions under scenarios of change. This article presents the case of the Garden Route National Park in South Africa and the approach used to co-create inclusive visions of the future with local stakeholders. I draw on theoretical insights and empirical data collected through interviews with the park staff to describe the use of futures consciousness as an approach to understanding how people perceive change, prepare for, and embrace the future. I explore how people's perceptions of change mobilize action to address complex problems and create alternative imaginaries beyond spatial and temporal boundaries. Futures consciousness can contribute to understanding processes that enable or constrain transformation and identifying options for mobilising change towards desired future goals. The findings can help managers examine individual and collective assumptions about adaptation, inform future-oriented practices and advance opportunities for transformational change to build resilient, just futures for nature and people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human impact on nature has now reached a level at which the well-being of future human society is at risk. Therefore, transformative change in society is needed. Environmental assessments contribute to shaping environmental policy, potentially leveraging transformative change. Red Lists are a key information source on the state of biodiversity. Our aim was to study the Red List authors' perceptions of how Red Lists contribute to leveraging sustainability changes. We interviewed 15 of the authors of the forest and peatland sections of the Finnish Red List of Ecosystems 2018. We used the framework of sustainability leverage points to locate sustainability changes that Red Lists have leveraged in the social part of the Finnish social-ecological system. Our results show how the assessors perceived the influence of the Red Lists at most of the leverage points, including the deepest ones, and how these influences simultaneously co-exist in several leverage points. The most prominent sustainability changes were linked with legislation and information flows, whereas current paradigms, system goals and legislation appeared to prevent Red Lists from leveraging sustainability changes in Finland. We conclude that the production and dissemination processes of Red List knowledge can make an important contribution to sustainability changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inclusive conservation approaches that effectively conserve biodiversity while improving human well-being are gaining traction in the face of the sixth mass extinction of biodiversity. Despite much theorization on the governance of inclusive conservation, empirical research on its practical implementation is urgently needed. Here, using a correlation network analysis and drawing on empirical results from 263 sites described on the web platform of the PANORAMA initiative (IUCN), we inductively identified global clusters of conservation outcomes in protected and conserved areas. These clusters represent five conservation foci or archetypes, namely (i) community-based conservation, (ii) sustainable management, (iii) conflict resolution, (iv) multi-level and co-governance, and (v) environmental protection and nature's contribution to people. Our empirical approach further revealed that some dimensions of inclusive conservation are crucial as leverage points to manage protected areas related to these clusters successfully, namely improvements in the socio-cultural context and social cohesion, enhancing the status and participation of youth, women, and minorities, improved human health, empowerment of local communities, or reestablishment of dialogue and trust. We highlight inclusive interventions such as education and capacity building, development of alliances and partnerships, and enabling sustainable livelihoods, or governance arrangements led by Indigenous peoples and local communities or private actors, as levers to promote positive transformations in the social-ecological systems of protected areas. We argue that although some of the leverage points we identified are less targeted in current protected area management, they can represent powerful areas of intervention to enhance social and ecological outcomes in protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implementing electromobility is a central component in the de-carbonization of personal mobility. In recent years, the absolute number of electric vehicles (EVs) and their market share has increased sharply in many countries. This paper focuses on Norway, a pioneer market for EVs that other countries can learn from. The analysis highlights how a combination of local and national policies over a 30-y period, which targeted both industry development and vehicle demand, were important drivers of this development. It also highlights the importance of advocacy groups and strong networks in promoting EVs, as well as changes in user preferences. The paper demonstrates how the EV diffusion has been driven by alignments of multiple processes across different levels, involving interactions between multiple actors and social groups with different interests and views about desirable futures as described by the multi-level perspective (MLP). Building on the MLP, the study of EV diffusion in Norway illustrates how niches are often sustained through demonstrations, experimentation, strategic alliances, and actors securing favorable political and economic conditions. Further, it shows how local or national niches may depend on international regime actors, such as the car manufacturing industry and policies developed abroad. The paper also explores how the introduction of EVs has opened for wider effects, including innovation within production-consumption systems beyond mobility. Based on this analysis, we argue for a nuanced perspective on the relationship between incremental, regime-internal innovation, and wider transformative changes, where the merits of societal learning and experience with battery electricity for transportation are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing global environmental challenges and making progress towards the United Nations sustainable development goals (SGDs) requires transformative change in various aspects of coupled human-environment systems. Public participation and collective action at local levels through improved ocean literacy is an important part of achieving global targets. However, inequalities in who has access to opportunities to engage with science and connect with ocean environments persist. Here we explore the value of co-created citizen science with four diverse community groups using the value-creation framework. We utilize participatory evaluation processes with focused group discussions (n = 17) and surveys (n = 58) embedded throughout the research process. We evidence how co-created citizen science can facilitate transformative experiences leading to pro-environmental behaviors, community empowerment, shifts in perceptions, and community building. Our findings highlight the value of such approaches to elicit change and their potential to influence policy through behavioral change.

Investigates whether junior researchers believe that the scholarly communication system is changing in a significant way, whether they have contributed to the changes they envisaged, whether the pandemic has fast‐forwarded change and what they thought a transformed system might look like. The data are drawn from the Harbingers‐2 project, which investigated the impact of the pandemic on the scholarly communications attitudes and behaviours of early career researchers (ECRs), employing repeat interviewing with around 170 science and social science junior researchers from eight countries. The article focuses on the findings of the last of three rounds of interviews, with comparisons made with the first round, held 18 months earlier, when the pandemic was most active. A majority of ECRs thought that there had been significant changes in the scholarly system, and a large minority thought that the pandemic was responsible. Most of them wanted a system that was more open in terms of open access and open data, with a third taking personal action to bring about change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the pathway toward environmental sustainability, it is important that we understand how individuals can make a difference through diverse types of engagement. Theories suggest that transformative change toward a sustainable future requires individuals to engage in not only private actions (e.g. household energy saving, recycling) but also social‐signalling and system‐changing civic actions (e.g. opinion sharing, voting, petition signing and protesting). Yet, past research on pro‐environmental behaviour has primarily focused on private actions, while overlooking individual contributions to facilitating widespread change through civic actions.We use the exotic pet trade as a focal case to understand how individuals may act to promote environmental sustainability through different patterns of engagement and what factors might explain these distinct patters of action.Results from an online survey about behavioural intentions in the United States (n = 527) revealed three types of individual action that could transform the exotic pet trade.Private actions clustered separately from civic actions. Within the category of civic actions, a distinction emerged between lower social‐commitment actions and higher social‐commitment actions, based on the perceived level of social engagement and personal efforts involved.We also found that each type of action was associated with unique factors, highlighting the importance of attitudes, perceived social norms, and relational values for variously promoting individual engagement among the U.S. public.Our findings suggest that these distinct types of action should be treated differently when designing future wildlife conservation campaigns and behaviour change interventions. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foundation industries are under increasing pressure to transform for sustainable development. Ceramics play a key role within foundation industries as a necessary material for building manufacturing facilities. Therefore, transforming the ceramic industry could support changes across other foundation industries as well, making it one of the most important industries to transform. Given the limited finances, staff time, and other resources to support transformative change, this study aims to identify a set of key intervention points to enable transformative change in the ceramic industry in the United Kingdom. A desk-based study, reviewing written industry, government, and scientific materials available in the public domain, was carried out to identify initial key intervention points for transformative change. The PESTLE approach was used to analyse macro factors in political, environmental, social, technological, legal, and economic domains in order to understand how the context enables or constrains change in the ceramic industry. A SWOT analysis was conducted to further consolidate the findings. Our analysis detected over 50 transformative change drivers and barriers and showed that decarbonisation and energy-saving strategies were the main drivers for transforming the UK ceramic industry. On the other hand, foreign government policy and legislation, trade barriers, skills shortages, and costly alternative energy sources were among the major barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What role can a speculative political ecology play in (re)imaging urban futures of climate extremes? In recent years, narratives of dystopian futures of climate extremes have proliferated in geosciences, and across the media and creative arts. These anxiety-fueled narratives often generate a sense of resignation and unavoidability, which contributes to foreclosing the possibility of radically different political projects. In this article, we argue that these narratives conceal the coproduction of nature and society and treat nature as the problem, thereby locking futures into dystopic configurations. Political ecology scholarship can contribute to generate a politics of possibility by reconceptualizing the relations that constitute urban futures under climate extremes as socionatural. This, we argue, calls for a more experimental political ecology and new forms of theorizing. To this aim, we develop a speculative political ecological approach grounded on a numerical model that examines the potential of transformative change in the aftermath of extreme flood events in a capitalist city. Analytically, this opens a unique possibility of exploring urban futures beyond current trajectories, and how these alternative futures might transform vulnerability and inequality across urban spaces. From a policy perspective, we lay the foundations for a new generation of models that apprehend the role of power and agency in shaping uneven urban futures of climate extremes.

Finance is a precondition for many of the activities that harm ecosystems, but how to address this underlying driver of biodiversity loss remains a topic of debate. This paper reviews the Task Force on Nature‐Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), a corporate‐led effort that aims to identify how changes to biodiversity may create financial risks for companies and investors. This approach is also promoted as a strategy for managing the impact of business on biodiversity, with the assumption that risk disclosure will more effectively price biodiversity‐harming activities. We assess the potential of the TNFD toward this end, and invite conservation scientists, practitioners, and policymakers to engage critically with its theory of change. We find that the relationship between disclosing biodiversity risk and redirecting finance away from environmental degradation is tenuous and unproven, making this mechanism insufficient for addressing the impact of the financial sector on nature. We question the embrace of another industry‐led mechanism that implies that a lack of information is the greatest barrier to stopping biodiversity loss. Further, there are risks that this financial sector approach to biodiversity will reinforce the highly unequal concentration of power and wealth, which is itself inimical to transformative change, as called for by the Intergovernmental Science–Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activities are damaging the world's ecosystems, posing a serious threat to life on Earth, including humanity. To address this situation, widespread and significant changes in human behavior are necessary. Direct experiences of nature can encourage individuals to adopt positive actions towards biodiversity (hereafter pro‐biodiversity behavior), but this relationship has not been well studied. Using a large sample of Japanese adults, we demonstrate that both recent and childhood frequencies of nature experiences are associated with an increased likelihood of exhibiting pro‐biodiversity behaviors. This association was found to be consistent across various forms of behaviors, including purchasing ecofriendly products, reducing pesticide use in domestic gardens, and donating to conservation organizations. However, our research also reveals a declining trend of childhood experiences of nature in Japan, resulting in an "extinction of experience." Our results suggest that enhancing people's personal experiences with nature could help promote desired behavioral change to halt biodiversity loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was undertaken in the agropastoral regions of Maradi, Tahoua and Tillabéri in Niger. The first study covered 900 households and assessed farmers production methods, income, household expenditure, gender issues and food security using four different indicators. The second study assessed causes for child malnutrition by combining a household survey (450 households) with measurement of the upper arm circumference of 1618 children aged 6 to 59 months from these households. A logistic regression analysis was used to identify the causes for malnutrition. The number of food-insecure months in the households were on average 3.54 months per year and 11.4% of the children belonged to the group defined as suffering from 'global acute malnutrition'. Cereal yields were below 250 kg ha-1 and only 33% of the households were able to sell any of their cereal harvest. The households spent 66% of their total expenditure on the purchase of food. Money spent on diversifying their nutrition was very limited and horticulture production focused on temperate crops. The indicators for nutrition diversity, food quality and household perception of food security were low. The major causes identified for food insecurity and child malnutrition were low agricultural production, low nutritional diversity, women's autonomy in agriculture (control over income) and poor sanitation. To address these challenges, we propose a mix of incremental and transformative changes, including strengthening the role of women, promotion of precision farming, nutrient-sensitive agriculture, eco-sanitation, and training on improved nutrition and childcare.

What happens when scientists become activists? In this paper, we discuss the principles, commitments and experiences of Scientist Rebellion (SR), a movement of scientists, academics, and researchers committed to activism, advocacy and non-violent civil disobedience against the (in)actions of governments, corporations and other institutions, including academic ones. In sharing experiences from the frontlines of direct actions with SR along with the perspectives from individual scientists, coming from a variety of geographical locations, and a range of academic levels and disciplines, we reflect on the need to transgress the boundaries of a system of knowledge production and education that is effectively reproducing the very structures that have led us into climate and ecological crises. This article provides a reflective and critical engagement with Scientist Rebellion, drawing on a range of interviews with activists, as well as material from and about Scientist Rebellion. We conclude with a reflection on the relation between scientists and their institutions, as well as a mobilizing plea to the scientific community to take action.

Moving to a low carbon society requires pro-active decisions to transform social and physical systems and their supporting infrastructure. However, the inherent complexity of these systems leads to uncertainty in their responses to interventions, and their critical societal role means that stakes are high. Techniques for decision making under deep uncertainty (DMDU) have recently begun to be applied in the context of transformation to a low carbon society. Applying DMDU to support transformation necessitates careful attention to uncertainty in system relationships (structural uncertainty), and to actions targeting deep leverage points to transform system relationships. This paper presents outcomes of a structured literature review of 44 case studies in which DMDU is applied to infrastructure decisions. Around half of these studies are found to neglect structural uncertainty entirely, and no study explicitly considers alternative system conceptions. Three quarters of studies consider actions targeting only parameters, a shallow leverage point for system transformation. Where actions targeting deeper leverage points are included, models of system relationships are unable to represent the transformative change these interventions could effect. The lack of attention to structural uncertainty in these studies could lead to misleading results in complex and poorly understood systems. The lack of interventions targeting deep leverage points could lead to neglect of some of the most effective routes to achieving transformative change. This review recommends greater attention to deeper leverage points and structural uncertainty in applications of DMDU targeting transformative change.

When deciding how to conserve biodiversity, practitioners navigate diverse missions, sometimes conflicting approaches, and uncertain trade‐offs. These choices are based not only on evidence, funders' priorities, stakeholders' interests, and policies, but also on practitioners' personal experiences, backgrounds, and values. Calls for greater reflexivity—an individual or group's ability to examine themselves in relation to their actions and interactions with others—have appeared in the conservation science literature. But what role does reflexivity play in conservation practice? We explored how self‐reflection can shape how individuals and groups conserve nature. To provide examples of reflexivity in conservation practice, we conducted a year‐long series of workshop discussions and online exchanges. During these, we examined cases from the peer‐reviewed and gray literature, our own experiences, and conversations with 10 experts. Reflexivity among practitioners spanned individual and collective levels and informal and formal settings. Reflexivity also encompassed diverse themes, including practitioners' values, emotional struggles, social identities, training, cultural backgrounds, and experiences of success and failure. Reflexive processes also have limitations, dangers, and costs. Informal and institutionalized reflexivity requires allocation of limited time and resources, can be hard to put into practice, and alone cannot solve conservation challenges. Yet, when intentionally undertaken, reflexive processes might be integrated into adaptive management cycles at multiple points, helping conservation practitioners better reach their goals. Reflexivity could also play a more transformative role in conservation by motivating practitioners to reevaluate their goals and methods entirely. Reflexivity might help the conservation movement imagine and thus work toward a better world for wildlife, people, and the conservation sector itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature is declining globally at unprecedented rates with adverse consequences for both ecological and human systems. This paper argues that only transformative change—a fundamental, system-wide reorganization—will be sufficient to arrest and reverse this loss and to meet globally agreed development goals, including the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. In search for a credible platform to help facilitate such transformative change, this paper explores the potential of multifunctional 'scape approaches to improve sustainable management outcomes at scale. Beyond a current international focus on nature restoration, this paper emphasizes the urgency and criticality of confirming approaches for sustainably preserving large 'intact' natural areas. Through a semi-systematic review of contemporary academic and gray literature and derivation of a theory of change, the authors consider tropical peatland systems—which can interconnect multiple ecosystem types and be of global biodiversity and carbon sequestration significance—to help derive potentially broader sustainable ecosystem management lessons. Beyond identifying key considerations for implementing multifunctional 'scape approaches, the paper recommends further work to deepen understanding of the multidimensional 'value' of nature; strengthen governance frameworks; empower indigenous peoples and their knowledge sharing and community management; align nature-positive and climate-positive goals; andmobilize commensurate business and financial support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Policy coherence across governance scales is needed for SDG implementation. • An adaptation version of Three Horizons identifies and compares local/regional themes. • Similar/dissimilar themes across scales can assist in harmonizing policy priorities. • Associations between strategies' themes can help coordinate action across scales. • The approach can support policy coherence for advancing SDG implementation. The Three Horizons for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a novel participatory approach to co-create future sustainable scenarios for supporting the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Whereas the approach has been applied to inform the design of global-scale sustainability scenarios based on regional perspectives, it has not been implemented to explore how local and regional scenarios can be connected across sites and scales to inform governance processes in the implementation of the SDGs. This study applies an adapted version of the Three Horizons for the SDGs approach in four sites at regional and local scales in Spanish drylands to explore its potential to support policy coherence at multiple governance scales for advancing SDG implementation through dialogue between actors from multiple sectors. We conducted four two-day in-person workshops with diverse actors (n = 59) to explore their perceptions about the desired futures, current concerns, and strategies to achieve sustainable futures in the region. Results reveal 27 similar and nine dissimilar themes related to desired futures and current concerns, respectively. These findings provide common ground and highlight different contextual realities between sites that may serve as a basis for harmonizing policy priorities for advancing regional and local SDG implementation. The study also identifies 19 themes encompassing multiple strategies with the potential to establish associations across sites and scales to coordinate actions in alignment with the 2030 Agenda. We argue that the adapted version of the Three Horizons for the SDGs approach can serve as a tool to support coherent multi-scale governance needed to achieve global sustainability goals. We discuss lessons learned and limitations encountered from using the approach that provides guidance for future experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we lean on experiences from South Africa as a point of departure for discussing the unrealized potentials and complications of applying collaborative, transformative citizen science (CS). We first show the value of exploring community-based ecological restoration and artistic approaches in ecological and development research. Building on these empirical insights, we outline ideas for integrating CS into such research, not only to collect additional data, but as a way to increase incentives and capacities among both CS participants and researchers, and to change mindsets across time and institutional scales. Multiple interlinked Sustainable Development Goals are within reach, exemplified by the monitoring and advancement of Clean Water, Life on Land, and Sustainable Cities and Communities--critical goals to address current and prospective demographic and climatic changes in the context of fast-expanding urban environments and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]