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Johan Hultman.

Johan Hultman

Professor

Johan Hultman.

Ten essentials for action-oriented and second order energy transitions, transformations and climate change research

Author

  • Ioan Fazey
  • Niko Schäpke
  • Guido Caniglia
  • James Patterson
  • Johan Hultman
  • Barbara van Mierlo
  • Filippa Säwe
  • Arnim Wiek
  • Julia Wittmayer
  • Paulina Aldunce
  • Husam Al Waer
  • Nandini Battacharya
  • Hilary Bradbury
  • Esther Carmen
  • John Colvin
  • Christopher Cvitanovic
  • Marcella D'Souza
  • Maja Gopel
  • Bruce Goldstein
  • Timo Hämäläinen
  • Gavin Harper
  • Tom Henfry
  • Anthony Hodgson
  • Mark S. Howden
  • Andy Kerr
  • Matthias Klaes
  • Christopher Lyon
  • Gerald Midgley
  • Susanne Moser
  • Nandan Mukherjee
  • Karl Müller
  • Karen O'Brien
  • Deborah A. O'Connell
  • Per Olsson
  • Glenn Page
  • Mark S. Reed
  • Beverley Searle
  • Giorgia Silvestri
  • Viktoria Spaiser
  • Tim Strasser
  • Petra Tschakert
  • Natalia Uribe-Calvo
  • Steve Waddell
  • Jennifer Rao-Williams
  • Russell Wise
  • Ruth Wolstenholme
  • Mel Woods
  • Carina Wyborn
Show all

Summary, in English

The most critical question for climate research is no longer about the problem, but about how to facilitate the transformative changes necessary to avoid catastrophic climate-induced change. Addressing this question, however, will require massive upscaling of research that can rapidly enhance learning about transformations. Ten essentials for guiding action-oriented transformation and energy research are therefore presented, framed in relation to second-order science. They include: (1) Focus on transformations to low-carbon, resilient living; (2) Focus on solution processes; (3) Focus on ‘how to’ practical knowledge; (4) Approach research as occurring from within the system being intervened; (5) Work with normative aspects; (6) Seek to transcend current thinking; (7) Take a multi-faceted approach to understand and shape change; (8) Acknowledge the value of alternative roles of researchers; (9) Encourage second-order experimentation; and (10) Be reflexive. Joint application of the essentials would create highly adaptive, reflexive, collaborative and impact-oriented research able to enhance capacity to respond to the climate challenge. At present, however, the practice of such approaches is limited and constrained by dominance of other approaches. For wider transformations to low carbon living and energy systems to occur, transformations will therefore also be needed in the way in which knowledge is produced and used.

Department/s

  • Department of Service Studies

Publishing year

2018-06-01

Language

English

Pages

54-70

Publication/Series

Energy Research and Social Science

Volume

40

Document type

Journal article review

Publisher

Elsevier

Topic

  • Social Sciences Interdisciplinary

Keywords

  • Action research
  • Sustainability
  • Sustainability transitions
  • Transdisciplinarity

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 2214-6296