Everything Everywhere All at Once”: A Methodological Framework for an Inclusive Ecological Transition Pathway. Insights from the PHOENIX H2020 Project
We are delighted to announce the publication of the chapter “Everything Everywhere All at Once”: A Methodological Framework for an Inclusive Ecological Transition Pathway", authored by Diogo Guedes Vidal, Helena Freitas, and Fátima Alves, developed by the Societies and Environmental Sustainability Research Group at the Centre for Functional Ecology - Science for People & the Planet, Terra Associated Laboratory at the University of Coimbra and its Extension at the Open University of Portugal, within the framework of the PHOENIX H2020 European project.
This study proposes an innovative methodological framework to ensure the ecological transition is equitable, empathetic, and inclusive, respecting the unique characteristics of each territory. The goal is to ensure that all aspects — biological, socio-cultural, economic, and legal — are considered so that no human or non-human is left behind in the change process.
What do we propose?
The methodological framework developed by the team is structured in four interrelated phases:
- Identification of socio-environmental challenges: Based on stakeholders' perceptions of concerns and obstacles in the ecological transition pathway.
- Structural analysis: Evaluation of existing legislation and the territories' biological and environmental characteristics, identifying how these may act as drivers or barriers to the transition.
- Agency and intersubjectivity analysis: Understanding social perceptions about nature and the environment from various target groups, such as local authorities, civil society organisations, the scientific community, and citizens.
- Cross-referencing information: Based on the previous three phases, identify opportunities, risks, and vulnerabilities for the ecological transition in each pilot context.
This work was presented at the Transatlantic Symposium on Sustainable Development at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in October 2023 and is now available for reading.
Read the full chapter here in Springer Nature
Vidal, D. G., Freitas, H., & Alves, F. (2025). Everything Everywhere All at Once”: A Methodological Framework for an Inclusive Ecological Transition Pathway. In W. L. Filho, J. Newman, A. Lange Salvia, L. Viera Trevisan, & L. Corazza (Eds.), North American and European Perspectives on Sustainability in Higher Education (pp. 335–357). Springer Nature Switzerland. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-80434-2_20