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Since learning plays a key role in sustainability transitions, it is not surprising that it is frequently mentioned in the related literature. Studies in this respect are often conducted in the context of specific governance approaches. Learning is key to strategic niche management, transition management and the functions of innovation systems approach (Hekkert et al., 2007; Loorbach and Rotmans, 2006; Raven et al., 2008). It is firmly linked to ideas of experimentation and generally has a positive connotation of progress. In the broader transition literature, learning tends to be treated as a steering mechanism or a governance tool. In this special issue, we address it as a core feature of transitions in need of a better understanding.

At the IST conference of 2016, a debate on learning in transitions was initiated by researchers from the Institute of Environmental Systems Research at the University of Osnabrück, including some …