Niche protection in transitions to sustainability Paper for the European Association for the Study of Science and Technology Annual Conference at the University of Trento, Italy 2-4 September 2010 Adrian Smith (SPRU) and Rob Raven (TU Eindhoven)
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Niche protection in transitions to sustainability
Paper for the European Association for the Study of Science and Technology Annual Conference at the University of Trento, Italy
2-4 September 2010
Adrian Smith (SPRU) and Rob Raven (TU Eindhoven)
A sustainability transitions problem framing
Path-breaking innovations originate in niche settings that provide a ‘protective space’ where some regime-derived selection processes do not operate
Regime selection environments / processes are multi-dimensional:Evolutionary economics Socio-technical transitions- socio-cognitive / heuristics - institutions- markets - infrastructures- institutions? - users
- cultural associations- policy
How does ‘protective space’ permit path-breaking novelties to flourish; and how does it contribute to systems innovation?
From: incrementally innovating
‘regimes’ of socio-technical practices (enduring trajectories,
yet troubling /destabilising)
Towards: radically more environmentally
sustainable and socially just regimes.
Protective space as a shield
Selection factors in dominant regime
Niche; partial shielding
after Hoogma( 2000)
socio-cognitive / heuristics
markets
institutions
infrastructures
users cultural associationspolicy and power
after Geels and Raven, 2006; Markard and Truffer, 2008
Protective space as an alternative selection environment
Protective space
B. Nurturing niche development:- expectations- networks- learning
C. Empowering the niche:-mutual identities-niche interests- challenge and reform regime
A. Shielding - alternative selection criteria:- socio-cognitive / heuristics- markets- institutions- infrastructures- users- cultural associations- policy
Removing or institutionalising protection?
Protectionism Sustainability transitions
Protection removed as niche adapts and becomes competitive under regime
selection pressures (fitting)
Protection institutionalised as part of a new regime largely based on innovative sustainability practices
in the niche (stretching)
Infant industries
Protection is perpetuated by beneficiaries, so little pressure to continue innovating (capture)
Different types of protectionSource of protection Empirical indicatorsEconomic Public grants; price support; purchase
obligations; RD&D funding; feed-in systems; long-term private investment commitments;
Institutional Planning rules; grid connection rules; insurance schemes; rule exemptions (e.g. for environmental reporting); development of supporting norms and standards
Socio-cognitive Promising claims; feasibility studies; training schemes; research programmes; conferences; best practice publications; establishment of intermediary organisations;
Cultural References to the technology in wider symbolic context; statements of what the technology signifies for prevailing social values (of group or society); art such as images, movies and stories that positively portrait the technology;
Geographic Locations of experiments with respect to resource endowments; proximity to existing infrastructures; articulated fit with local (socio-economic) problem agendas;
Political Statements that link technologies to political goals; explicit mentioning of technologies in white papers; Ministerial commitments.
Piecemeal protection and niche development
actualexpectedunrealised
Time 1
Cultu
ral
Time 2
Socio-cognitive
Cultu
ral
Socio-cognitiveTime 3
Cultu
ral
Geographic
Economic
Regime t1 Regime t2Regime t3
Mobilising protections from the regime and against the regime
The social construction of protective space
Socio-cognitive
Cultu
ral
Geographic
Economic
Expectations
Social learning
Networks
Institutional
Resources Actor interests
Narratives
The social construction of protective space
Socio-cognitive
Cultu
ral
Geographic
Economic
Expectations
Social learning
Networks
Institutional
Resources Actor interests
Narratives
The social construction of protective space
Socio-cognitive
Cultu
ral
Geographic
Economic
Expectations
Social learning
Networks
Institutional
Resources Actor interests
Narratives
Protective space as network building
Time 1 Time 2 Time 3
Global niche network
Local experimentation
Niche representationsResource flows
Regime developments over time, windows of opportunity
Design expectations, resources and lessons flow between global niche
and local experiments
Global niche grows, becomes more robust and empowered
Towards an analysis of the politics of protective space
1. Start with the niche – what is the state of learning / performance, network and expectations
2. What further protective measures are niche advocates seeking, and why?
3. What narratives are being engaged to argue for these protections?
4. Who are the target audiences and how are their interests being re-defined (if at all)?
5. What resources are being mobilised behind new protective measures (and with what new interests and narratives coming to bear)?
6. How are regime dynamics (and contending niches) structuring the ability of advocates to mobilise resources?
7. How does this influence the next phase of niche development?
8. Are any protective measures proving unnecessary, or becoming institutionalised?
Summarising: questions for future research
Isn’t protection harmful for innovation?
What is protective
space?
How do the dynamics of protection influence
niche development, and vice versa?
Who is involved in the construction of
protection, and how do they do it?
Where might we find answers?!
How is protection built up, and then
withdrawn?
Answers between now and September 2013 (perhaps )!?
www.lowcarbonpolitics.org
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