Battles Over Climate Transitions: Coalition Building and Creative Destruction in Sustainability Transitions

As both climate disasters and climate denial intensify, the battles over how - and how quickly - to transform our industrial systems have become increasingly heated. Drawing on comparative case studies from Europe, Asia, and the US, this talk examines how coalitions can succeed in driving rapid sustainability transitions despite powerful incumbent opposition. Through analysis of energy and transportation transformations, the research reveals how successful coalitions simultaneously work to destabilize incumbent systems while fostering sustainable alternatives. The theoretical framework bridges political science perspectives on coalition formation and policy feedback with sociological approaches to institutional change, explaining how actors can create self-reinforcing “sustainability flywheels” that accelerate transformation. Based on mixed-methods research, the findings offer insights into both the mechanics of coalition building and the dynamics that enable sustainability transitions to advance. The cases demonstrate that while most climate battles are currently being lost, strategic coalitions can drive rapid and equitable transitions through coordinated action that both fights and fosters change.

Speaker: Dara O'Rourke, UC Berkeley

Attend in person or online (See weblink)