Visioning for transitions to SCP and a Circular Economy: methods, cases, comparisons and conceptual reflections

Visions are important in transitions to SPC and a Circular Economy. Their role, functions and use needs further study, both conceptual and empirical, including relevance for governance and transdisciplinary and transformative practices. A distinction can be made between (i) making visions using backcasting, transition management or other visioning methods,(ii) studying visions in long-term developments and transitions, also used to explain socio-technological change, (ii) and evaluating visions and visioning processes in order to develop pathways, and explore possible value conflicts and other value-driven and interest-driven differences among actors and stakeholders in emerging transitions. This session seeks contributions on (i) methods for making visions for SCP and for a CE, (ii) cases in which visions and pathways for SCP and a CE have been developed, (iii) the role of visions and expectations in emerging and ongoing transitions, (iv) theoretical and conceptual papers on the role of visions in transitions and niches, (iv) comparisons of methods and cases of visioning, and (v) examples in which visioning has been combined with quantification and modelling. This session seeks to identify examples and compare methodologies for visioning for SCP and a CE, as well as (i) identifying best practices and examples from the audience, and (ii) discussing appropriate conceptualizations for visions and visioning. It consists of the following presentations and a wider discussion on progress in visioning for SCP and CE: (i) Jaco Quist, Making Visions for transitions to SCP and a Circular Economy: overview of methods and cases, (ii) . Georgina Guillen-Hanson, The Strategic Conditions for Sustainable Lifestyles as a tool to facilitate backcasting processes towards co-designing and implementing sustainable social innovations.. An update of additional presentations is expected.