Print Email Facebook Twitter A transition in the Dutch wastewater system? The struggle between discourses and with lock-ins Title A transition in the Dutch wastewater system? The struggle between discourses and with lock-ins Author Ampe, K.V.J. (TU Delft BT/Biotechnology and Society; Universiteit Gent) Paredis, Erik (Universiteit Gent) Asveld, L. (TU Delft BT/Biotechnology and Society) Osseweijer, P. (TU Delft BT/Biotechnology and Society) Block, Thomas (Universiteit Gent) Date 2019 Abstract Recently, calls have increased for a paradigm shift or transition towards resource recovery and a circular economy in the Dutch wastewater system. However, we have observed diverging interpretations on the nature of the transition. This reflects the political environment of sustainability transitions: political struggle emerges over the definition of problems, futures and strategies to be used. In order to help clarify the emerging debate and identify political choices, we conducted a discourse analysis. We identified three discourses that reveal some of the political choices to be made. One discourse is becoming dominant and focusses on optimising the large-scale infrastructure, market development and legislative changes. The discourse draws on the existing infrastructure and current political-economic institutions, which gives it an advantage in becoming dominant. Our findings also suggest that this discourse shapes a transition pathway that is characterised by lock-in effects and, at most, incremental changes instead of a fundamental shift in the established Dutch wastewater system Subject Wastewatertransitiondiscoursepoliticscirculareconomy To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:e6ba8086-d189-4bfd-ab13-2fd6e355cf95 DOI https://doi.org/10.1080/1523908X.2019.1680275 ISSN 1523-908X Source Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning, 22 (2), 155-169 Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2019 K.V.J. Ampe, Erik Paredis, L. Asveld, P. Osseweijer, Thomas Block Files PDF A_transition_in_the_Dutch ... ck_ins.pdf 2.02 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:e6ba8086-d189-4bfd-ab13-2fd6e355cf95/datastream/OBJ/view