The term 'sustainability transformation' is analogous to 'sustainability transition' insofar as both describe, interpret and support desirable radical and non-linear societal change. As with transition, complex and uncertain system patterns and mechanisms are considered, including path dependency, emergence and thresholds.
Nevertheless, the term 'transformation' is more frequently employed to describe substantial changes affecting entire societies, which can be global, national or local in scale, and which involve social-ecological interactions. Its objective is to identify emergent patterns of change, and to determine the influence these patterns exert on outcomes.
Transformations can be conceptualised as a response to the implications of change (e.g. risks, vulnerabilities) and are frequently supported by individual motives and values.