Transformation

This edition titled, Innovative Practices for Systems Transformations, of the Social Innovations Journal is sponsored by the Transformations Community, a generative space and catalyzing force for sustainability research and practice. This global community of transformation “pracademics” (both practitioner and researcher) is responding to a growing recognition that we need new approaches to address climate change and other existential threats to social-ecological systems.

Fundamental systems transformations are needed to address the global emergency brought on by climate change and related global trends, including the COVID-19 pandemic, which, together, pose existential threats to the future of humanity. Transformation has become the clarion call on the global stage. Evaluating transformation requires criteria. The revised Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development/Development Assistance Committee criteria are adequate for business as usual summative and accountability evaluations but are inadequate for addressing major systems transformations.

"Many pressing challenges require transformation, rather than incremental change and trade-offs. These ‘grand challenges’ are reflected in the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by the nations of the world in September 2015 at a meeting titled Transforming Our World, and in the December 2015 Paris Climate Agreement (together called Agenda 2030).

Webinar Recording available here.

Presenters: Michael Quinn Patton & Glenn Page

Summary: In this webinar, held on Earth Day 2019, Glenn and Michael explore the realities of the Anthropocene that necessitate the move towards global systems transformation. Glenn Page offers a history of the focus on global systems transformation and explores what is needed from a transformation systems theory standpoint.