Accountability and sustainability transitions

What constitutes a sustainability transition? We identify transitions as premised on shifts in accountability relations – assessments of conformance with institutional controls coupled application sanctions, incentives, and subsidies which structure the selection pressures that shape future demographics, technical practices, social material trajectories an economic sector or domain. Contestation adaptation mechanisms lend themselves to empirical observation. Beyond evaluating changes might support transition, our analytic framework positions us incoherent, hollow regressive modes constrain transitions. To operationalize conceptual scheme, we analyze purported case transitions, solar energy Portugal during period 2017–2020. This analysis juxtaposes promise movement more equitable, low-carbon inertia. draw expert interviews, field observation secondary research apply this transition case. find evidence bode well for accelerated growth uptake Portugal. More broadly, pilot studying shows significant advancing environmental governance research.