Figure 1.7

Figure 1.7 | Transition dynamics: levels, policies and processes. Note: the lower panel illustrates growth of innovative technologies or practices, which if successful emerge from niches into an S-shape dynamic of exponential growth. The diffusion stage often involves new infrastructure and reconfiguration of existing market and regulatory structures (known in the literature as the ‘socio-technical regime’). During the phase of more widespread diffusion, growth levels off to linear, then slows as the industry and market matures. The processes displace incumbent technologies/practices which decline, initially slowly but then at an accelerating pace. Many related literatures identify three main levels with different characteristics, most generally termed micro, meso and macro. Transitions can be accelerated by policies appropriately targeted, which may be similarly grouped and sequenced (upper panel) in terms of three corresponding pillars of policy (Section 1.7.3): generally all are relevant, but their relative importance differs according to the stage of the transition.