Analyzing sustainability transitions as a shift between socio-metabolic regimes

This essay seeks to specify the theoretical choices and assumptions involved in studying sociometabolic transitions, such as sustain-ability transitions, in a way that distinguishes them from mere changes. These generalizations draw on experiences with the empirical analysis of historical transitions on various scale levels. This perspective is illustrated by using material and energy flow data to demonstrate global sociometabolic regime transitions during the 20th century. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.