A Deep and Shallow Sustainability Intervention Framework: A Taoist-Inspired Approach to Systemic Sustainability Transitions

Na Liang () and Jordi Segalas
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Na Liang: Research Institute for Sustainability Science and Technology, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya—BarcelonaTech (UPC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
Jordi Segalas: Research Institute for Sustainability Science and Technology, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya—BarcelonaTech (UPC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 11, 1-41

Abstract: Addressing the escalating complexity of global sustainability challenges requires interventions that are not only technically effective but also cognitively and philosophically grounded. While the leverage points perspective has provided a useful framework for understanding systemic change, it can be enhanced through more operational coherence and cultural pluralism. This paper introduces the Deep and Shallow Sustainability Intervention (DSSI) framework, a novel conceptual model that integrates Taoist philosophical insights with contemporary systems thinking and the leverage points literature. Structured across five interconnected Taoist-inspired domains and ten leverage points, the framework extends and enriches Meadows’ leverage point theory by integrating pre-paradigmatic meta-cognitions, systemic momentum, and context-sensitive action. It emphasizes that sustainable transitions require the dynamic interplay between foundational source-code shifts and operational implementation. This framework contributes to the growing field of transformative sustainability science by (1) embedding non-Western epistemologies into systems transformation theory, (2) offering a structured yet flexible model for multi-level intervention design, and (3) enabling transdisciplinary dialogue between philosophy, paradigmatic shift, meta-systemic logic, governance, and practice. Preliminary applications in European rural transition contexts suggest its potential to enhance context-sensitive action and value-aligned systems innovation. The DSSI framework thus offers a timely and integrative approach for guiding long-term, systemic, and culturally responsive sustainability transitions.

Keywords: sustainability transitions; leverage points; Taoist philosophy; transition intervention points; Taoist-inspired framework (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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