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Member of SCNAT

saguf is a professional association that has been committed to the promotion of environmental and sustainability research in Switzerland. It is committed to inter- and transdisciplinary, practice- and solution-oriented research.more

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Innovation for Sustainability Transformation

Goals and focus

Innovation is at the core of sustainable transformations of societies. If sustainable transformations are to succeed, new or existing knowledge, technologies, and practices must be developed or reassigned, respectively, in all areas of societal activity - energy, mobility, food, work, and housing. Knowledge, technologies, and practices must be oriented toward sustainable development in order to make functional contributions to a sustainability-oriented transformation. In the Anthropocene era that comes with increasing vulnerability due to planetary boundaries under pressure, sustainability-oriented innovations contribute to building both resilience and equity.
The Working Group Innovation for Sustainability Transformation (INSIST) addresses the diversity of innovations and their implications for sustainability transformations. It addresses, from theoretical, empirical, and practical perspectives, past, present, and future; technological, social, and political; emergent (bottom-up) and directed (top-down) innovations and exnovations and their embeddedness in research, funding, consulting, policy, practice, and education. Questions of interest for INSIST include:

  • What are sustainability-oriented innovations and how do innovations become sustainable?
  • Under what conditions do sustainable innovations emerge and how do they spread?
  • What are the intended and unintended social, environmental, and economic consequences of innovations, and which innovations contribute to sustainability-oriented social transformations?

Lead: Olivier Ejderyan (FiBL; E-Mail: olivier.ejderyan@fibl.org) and Livia Fritz (Aarhus University; E-Mail: livia.fritz@btech.au.dk)

Members: Max Bergman (Universität Basel), Basil Bornemann (Universität Basel), Andreas Kläy (CDE), Clemens Mader (OST), Machteld Simeons (Universität Basel), Patrick Wäger (Empa)

Further Publications

  • Kläy, A., 2012: Nachhaltige Entwicklung an Schweizer Hochschulen: Zeit für Tritt- statt Stolpersteine. GAIA 21/4: 321-323. (pdf)
  • Kläy, A., Heim, T., Minsch, J., Stauffacher, M., Zingerli, C., 2011: Welche Forschung führt zu Innovationen für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung? GAIA 20/3: 214-216. (pdf)
  • saguf, 2011: Stellungnahme Cleantech Masterplan Schweiz. (pdf)
  • Minsch, J., T. Heim, A. Kläy, 2011: Innovation, eine Tochter der Freiheit. GAIA 20/1: 61-63. (pdf)
  • Kläy, A. et al., 2010: Nachhaltige Entwicklung in der Forschungs- und Innovationsförderung. GAIA 19/2: 152-154. (pdf)
  • saguf, 2010: Stellungnahme Totalrevision des Bundesgesetzes über die Förderung der Forschung und der Innovation (FIFG).