In the following, I describe a step-by-step approach for transdisciplinary research projects to transform social-ecological systems towards sustainability.
Step-by-step approach of transdisciplinary projects developed by Elke Kellner
A starting point may be conflicts over water in a catchment, a threat to cultural sites through oil and gas development, the loss of biodiversity in a specific region, social injustice in a protected area, or an economic challenge in a value chain, to name only a few possibilities. The variety of possible starting points already points to the versatility of the approach.
The first step is to create a system understanding with all involved people. The system understanding needs to capture the key underlying drivers of the starting point. For capturing these drivers, a systemic understanding that builds on knowledge and engagement is necessary, thereby bringing together local and scientific knowledge, different kinds of knowledge – such as western and indigenous knowledge – and diverse perspectives. The dynamics in the system are mapped out and synergies and trade-offs are examined. Through sharing of different perspectives and empathic listening, a shared system understanding is created.
Based on the shared system understanding, a shared problem understanding is created. These processes help to build over time trust between the actors and to create a common vision. The vision is necessary to identify leverage points to transform the dynamics in the system from the current problematic system to the desired future. Here, it is necessary to develop compromises for trade-off situations between different goals.
The challenge is that many sustainability interventions target highly tangible, but essentially weak, leverage points. That means that they are easy to implement, but have limited potential for transformational change. “Thus, there is a need to focus on less obvious but potentially far more powerful areas of intervention” (Abson et al. 2017).
The iceberg metaphor helps to categorize interventions. The iceberg outlines how observable outcomes on the surface and vague patterns around the waterline are manifestations of invisible, underlying regulations, and mental models such as values, beliefs, or assumptions.
The iceberg metaphor (Source: Kellner, 2023)
As an example, to change the daily management about the amount of outflow of a hydropower reservoir to provide more water for downstream users, would be a shallow leverage point with low potential for transformation. To change the water right of a single reservoir, would be a middle range leverage point. To change an underlying law such as a mandatory drought management assessment for Swiss hydropower concessions, would have high potential to transform the system. The change of underlying mental models such as the awareness of the impacts of climate change on Swiss water bodies, could be also a transformative type of intervention with high potential for transformation.
This metaphor facilitates the identification of deep leverage points. It also helps to decouple personal opinions about the usefulness of specific leverage points and therefore, mitigates potential conflicts between actors with different use interests. In an iterative way, the involved actors need to envision the system transformation by integrating the leverage points into the system.
The next step is to implement the leverage points and monitor and evaluate the system change. Well-tested projects may turn into broader policies positively shaping sustainable development on a larger scale.
Own publications
Kellner, Elke (2023): Identifying leverage points for shifting Water-Energy-Food nexus cases towards sustainability through the Networks of Action Situations approach combined with systems thinking. In: Sustainability Science. 1170. DOI: 10.1007/s11625-022-01170-7.
Kellner, Elke; Martin, Dominic A. (2023): Learning from past coevolutionary processes to envision sustainable futures: Extending an action situations approach to the Water-Energy-Food nexus. In Earth System Governance 15, p. 100168. DOI: 10.1016/j.esg.2023.100168.