Why Sustainability Transitions Go Beyond Technology

1. Core Insight

• Technological change is necessary but not sufficient for sustainability transitions.
• Systems are socio-technical, involving more than just tools:
  • Technology (e.g., solar panel, electric bus, composting unit)
  • Infrastructure (e.g., transmission lines, charging points, roads)
  • Institutions and policies (e.g., subsidies, standards, laws)
  • User habits and cultural meanings (e.g., how people engage with technology)

2. Example: Cooking Transition in India

• Shift from firewood to LPG involved:
  • Government schemes (e.g., Ujjwala Yojana)
  • Distribution infrastructure
  • Affordability measures
  • Changing norms around indoor smoke and women’s labor

3. Technological Lock-in and Path Dependence

• Lock-in: Existing systems benefit from:
  • Scale economies
  • Sunk investments
  • Institutional support
• Path dependence: Easier to continue old paths than switch to new ones
• Examples:
  • Roads designed for cars
  • Education systems training engineers for fossil-based industries
  • Agricultural research favoring Green Revolution technologies over agroecology
  • Policies subsidizing coal or chemical fertilizers

4. Barriers to Transition

Even when new technologies exist, transitions are slowed by:

• Vested interests
• Lack of finance or know-how
• User skepticism and resistance
• Regulatory or procedural hurdles

5. Case Studies

A. Rooftop Solar in India

• Technology: Clean, decentralized, affordable
• Barriers:
  • Lack of net metering policies
  • Discoms fear revenue loss
  • User concerns about service quality

B. Agroecology (e.g., SRI, Natural Farming)

• Benefits: Reduces input costs and water use
• Barriers:
  • Entrenched subsidy structures
  • Research biases
  • Market channels favoring chemical agriculture

6. Social and Political Dimensions

• Transitions must address who benefits and who bears the cost
• Examples of exclusion:
  • Rooftop solar may benefit homeowners but not tenants
  • Clean cooking programs may not include women in design
  • Marginal farmers may not be supported in market shifts
• Just Transitions: Equity, participation, and fairness must be integral—not add-ons

7. Key Takeaways

• Transitions are multidimensional:
  • Technical
  • Political
  • Economic
  • Cultural
• Lasting change requires addressing:
  • Power structures
  • Routines and rules
  • Social inclusion

📘 Exam Tip:

Focus on explaining why technology alone is insufficient for sustainability transitions. Use examples like rooftop solar or agroecology to illustrate systemic barriers (policy, institutional, social). Emphasize the concept of "just transitions" and the importance of equity and inclusion in transition design.