Multi-system dynamics in sustainability transitions: Introduction and outlook

Although it is well-known that major technological change can impact multiple socio-technical systems and their patterns of interaction, the issue of multi-system dynamics in transitions has until recently not attracted much attention. For new sustainability transition phenomena such as decarbonization efforts across various systems or circular economy initiatives that involve entire value chains, it is vital to better understand the ways, in which multiple systems interact and shape each other’s transitions. The goal of this chapter is to provide overview and orientation for a rapidly emerging topic by taking stock of the current state of knowledge. We review contributions from three main conceptual frameworks in transition studies: the technological innovation systems approach, the multi-level perspective, and deep transitions. On that basis, we discuss similarities, differences, and open issues to identify a future research agenda for the emerging area of multi-system dynamics in transitions.