Signposts on the road toward transformative governance: how a stronger focus on diverse values can enhance environmental policies
Eszter Kelemen, Suneetha M. Subramanian, Alta De Vos, Sacha Amaruzaman, Luciana Porter‐Bolland, Mine Işlar, Marina Kosmus, Barbara Nakangu, Emmanuel Nuesiri, Gabriela Arroyo Robles, Evonne Yiu, L. Emerton, Ágnes Zólyomi
Abstract
Transformative change toward sustainability is increasingly recognized as inevitable to avoid the collapse of socio-ecological systems. However, for a deep and system-wide transformation, governance approaches and policymaking need to be changed too. This paper discusses how a diverse value approach in environmental policymaking could be undertaken to foster transformative governance that can further lead to system-wide transitions. Based on the analysis of different policy options’ transformative potential, we argue that the more diverse values addressed by a policy instrument, the bigger its transformative potential. Weaving values into policy decision-making is possible at several junctures of the policy process, but context-specificities should always be considered, and capacities must be enhanced at all levels, both for public and private actors.