Title: Introductory editorial

Authors: Joop Koppenjan; Niki Frantzeskaki; Derk Loorbach; Michael B. Charles; Neal Neal

Addresses: Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Social Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. ' DRIFT – Dutch Research Institute for Transitions, Faculty of Social Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. ' DRIFT – Dutch Research Institute for Transitions, Faculty of Social Sciences, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Burgemeester Oudlaan 50, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. ' Southern Cross Business School, Southern Cross University, Locked Mail Bag 4, Coolangatta, QLD 4225, Australia. ' Southern Cross University, P.O. Box 157, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia

Abstract: This editorial introduces this special issue on the governance and governability of societal system transitions towards sustainability. This debate recently seems to be dominated by a wave of studies that more or less are inspired by the ideas of the so-called transition management approach. In order to broaden this debate, authors from various countries and a variety of theoretical and practical backgrounds are invited to explore sustainability transitions and their governance from a theoretical and/or empirical perspective. This editorial presents some core concepts, theoretical notions and problems that underlie the thinking on sustainability transitions. Next, it introduces the contributions that are part of this special issue and the research questions that they address.

Keywords: societal systems transitions; transition governance; transition management; sustainability transitions; sustainable development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSD.2012.044031

International Journal of Sustainable Development, 2012 Vol.15 No.1/2, pp.1 - 18

Published online: 30 Aug 2014 *

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