1995年,美國國家科學院 (National Academy of Sciences) 永續發展委員會 (Board on Sustainable Development) 便曾進行情境分析,認為可以在不依賴科技奇蹟和社會革命的情況下,於2050 年達成能源、資源、就業各方面皆符合世界人口需求、減少貧窮飢荒、同時維持地球生態系統的「永續轉型」 (sustainability transition),前提是要在價值觀、生活型態、經濟等面向進行巨大變革。
例如,2008年國際自然保護聯盟 (IUCN) 在《永續的轉型:通往一個人道與多元的世界》(Transition to Sustainability: Towards a Humane and Diverse World) 便指出,過往永續議程試圖將環境關懷鑲嵌至資本主義邏輯,卻形成一種「路徑依賴」(path-dependent),結果是一堆漂綠的「永續產業」(sustainability industry) ,假環境與經濟雙贏的美名,行「照舊經營」 (Business as usual) 之實,讓人們容易誤以為「不用改變什麼,就能達到永續發展」。如今越來越多民間團體、學者和跨政府機構都主張,現有經濟體制需要更多變革。關於「綠色經濟」、「低碳經濟」、「綠色成長」等新概念的研究,即是從此覺醒潮流中興起。
Adams, W.M. and S.J. Jeanrenaud (2008) 'Transition to Sustainability: Towards a Humane and Diverse World', IUCN Future of Sustainability Initiative 2008. Gland, Switzerland: International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
Dryzek, J.S. (1997) The Politics of the Earth: Environmental Discourse. (1 edn) New York: Oxford University Press.
Geels, F.W. and J. Schot (2007) 'Typology of Sociotechnical Transition Pathways', Research Policy 36: 399-417.
Grin, J., J. Rotmans and J. Schot (2010) 'Conclusion: How to Understand Transitions? how to Influence them?', in J. Grin, J. Rotmans and J. Schot (eds) Transitions to Sustainable Development: New Directions in the Study of Long Term Transformative Change, pp. 320-337. London and New York: Routledge.
Kates, R.W., T.M. Parris and A.A. Leiserowitz (2005) 'What is Sustainable Development? Goals, Indicators, Values, and Practice', Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development 47(3): 8-21.
Paehlke, R. (1999) 'Towards Defining, Measuring and Achieving Sustainability: Tools and Strategies for Environmental Valuation', in E. Becker and T. Jahn (eds) Sustainability and the Social Sciences: A Cross-Disciplinary Approach to Integrating Environmental Considerations into Theoretical Reorientation, pp. 243-263. New York: Zed Books.
Smith, A., J.-P. Voß and J. Grin (2010) 'Innovation Studies and Sustainability Transitions: The Allure of the Multi-Level Perspective and its Challenges', Research Policy 39: 435-448.