The role of power in leveraging the diverse values of nature for transformative change

Authors: Paola Arias-Arévalo, Elena Lazos-Chavero, Ana S Monroy-Sais, Sara H Nelson, Agnieszka Pawlowska-Mainville, Arild Vatn, Mariana Cantú-Fernández, Ranjini Murali, Barbara Muraca, Unai Pascual

Transformative changes toward sustainability are political because the aim, the ‘how’, and the speed of such transformations are constantly disputed across diverse actors with varying degrees of power and operational scales. A key political question of transformative changes is which (and whose) human-nature relationships and values are legitimised for/against sustainability and justice. In this context, we aim to analyse how power dimensions can operate in a values-based approach toward the transformative changes required to address the current nature crisis. We analysed how structural power — that involves rule-making and operational power — and discursive power — that involves framing power — may challenge or catalyse value-centred leverage points upon which society can act toward designing just and sustainable futures.