Workers as actors at the micro-level of sustainability transitions: A systematic literature review

Work and workers have been neglected topics in sustainability transitions research. Our sys-tematic literature review of 28 academic papers on the subject reveals five ways in which workers are affected or otherwise linked to transitions, indicating the relevance of further empirical studies on the role played by different groups of workers. First, environmental policies and other macro-level changes have indirect consequences for workers. Second, new sustainable work practices emerge or face insurmountable obstacles depending on meso- and micro-level change dynamics. Third, workers may adopt mediating positions and act as intermediaries in transitions. Fourth, novel educational programmes evolve to equip workers with new skills, and fifth, tran-sitions may lead to the creation of new jobs in the labour market. Co-evolutionary change dy-namics of sustainability transitions affect workers in both formal and informal forms of employment, and these questions in accelerating transitions require further attention.