A Transition Intervention Point System: A Taoist-Inspired Multidimensional Framework for Sustainability Transitions

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

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 11, 1-39

Abstract: This paper introduces the Transition Intervention Point System (TIP-System), a Taoist-inspired theoretical framework aimed at supporting sustainability transitions by integrating multidimensional sustainability research by leveraging point theory. The TIP-System consists of 21 Transition Intervention Points (TIPs), each defined by the intersection of five sustainability dimensions (ecological, social, economic, cultural, and inner) with distinct intervention levels (deep and shallow). The TIP-System endeavors to bridge qualitative and quantitative approaches by drawing on cross-cultural insights. It integrates deep interventions—Taoist-inspired meta-coordination, core values, and spiritual-ethical leverage points—with shallow interventions and technical transition pathways, underpinned by continuous adaptive feedback and systemic interdependencies. Preliminary empirical evidence from eight social innovation initiatives and an ongoing EU-funded rural transition project in Southern Europe suggests that the dynamic interplay among the 21 TIPs may facilitate the identification of transition states and support targeted sustainability change. However, the conceptual complexity of the TIP-System also indicates the need for further refinement to improve its practical accessibility. Future research should aim to develop more user-friendly evaluation tools and assess the framework’s performance across diverse contexts. Overall, the TIP-System provides a promising foundation for guiding transformative change across diverse contexts. Although further empirical validation is warranted, the framework’s novel perspective enriches both theoretical inquiry on and the practical application of sustainability transitions.

Keywords: sustainability transitions; Transition Intervention Point System (TIP-System); multidimensional sustainability; Taoist insights for sustainability; transitions 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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