Sustainable Transition with Shifting Power Dynamics in a Multipolar World

Abstract

Despite advancements in development, growing disparities in GDP are worsening globally, contradicting the fundamental principles of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The dynamics of power often remain concealed and overlooked during transition phases. By employing targeted terms, 68 publications from 1938 to 2025 have been critically reviewed. This cross-disciplinary analysis explores how power dynamics impact sustainability transitions, underscoring the necessity of grasping power roles in social change. It indicates that power can both sustain and oppose existing systems. Even with increased awareness, colonial power dynamics persist, and inequalities continue to expand, both nationally and internationally, particularly in the Global South. Although it faces significant critique, economic achievement is still gauged by GDP, disregarding human welfare and pressing environmental issues. This research underscores the need to redefine economic achievement to include social and environmental considerations and investigates how governments can foster discussions about well-being in the face of significant resistance. Lastly, it calls for a move away from stakeholder capitalism to establish a more equitable and sustainable economy, urging reforms in governance and corporate practices to tackle inequalities and environmental issues, while encouraging cooperation among various stakeholders to address the complex challenges of our time.