This paper uses a reflective method to gather findings with relation to a collaborative governance approach for the sociotechnical transition to a low carbon society in a regional context. As top-down and bottom-up approaches to sustainable transitions have proven insufficient in bringing about the necessary changes required to meet the demands of climate action, more collaborative approaches between local communities, national public bodies and research organisations are warranted. Within this, there is a need to understand the dynamics of collaborative governance for participants in the process. Through a process of reflective practice, this paper outlines the networks, personal capacities, organisational capacities, benefits and challenges of collaborative governance partnerships for sustainable transitions from the perspective of individuals within a collaborative committee working on a regional transition project on the Dingle Peninsula, Co Kerry, Ireland. Alongside this, some solutions to challenges outlined through reflection are highlighted. This research paper highlights the need for the incorporation of reflective practice within collaborative governance for the socio-technical transition to a low-carbon society.

Based on a series of walks undertaken on the Dingle Peninsula ( Chorca Dhuibhne), South-West Ireland, in March 2020 as part of the ‘ Walking Conversations’ symposium, a collaboration between Chorca Dhuibhne Creativity and Innovation Hub, Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne and the Department of Sociology & Criminology at UCC, this paper explores walking as a non-conventional method and way of knowing and understanding in both social research and research led teaching; specifically in relation to transitions to sustainability. We argue that walking is an organic approach to research that engages the performative and sensing body; that values the importance of innovative ways of connecting and collaborating in co-productive ways; and offers embodied, relational, sensory, multi-modal ways to reimagine socio-ecological sustainability in current times. Moreover, as we demonstrate, walking, as research on the move, enables us to: access/say the unsayable and open a space for the role of imagination, and creativity that can facilitate a radical democratic imaginary. Indeed, based upon our experiences with co-walkers in Corca Dhuibhne, research-led walking methods offer a radical democratic transdisciplinary pedagogy, that underpins the Connected Curriculum at UCC.

Dingle Peninsula 2030 or Corca Dhuibhne 2030 (Irish translation), is a collaborative project which is seeking to transition a region in the peripheral south-west of Ireland to a low-carbon, sustainable community by 2030. The project has employed a novel governance structure through the formation of a collaborative committee. This committee consists of representatives of a local not-for-profit (Mol Téic), a local community development organisation (NEWKD), Ireland’s national electricity distribution system operator (ESB Networks), and our research institute (MaREI). This transdisciplinary configuration is grounded within the local community, whilst also having capacity at a national level. Despite emerging as recently as 2018, Dingle Peninsula 2030 acts as a community based, transdisciplinary collaboration that has had impact both at a local community level, and on a wider national and international stage. The project has gathered national media coverage, been designated as a living laboratory by the United Nations, and has a sent a delegation to COP-26 to discuss the role of community based initiatives for climate action. Here, we represent the local community impact of Dingle Peninsula 2030, to date. Central to this representation is the concept of the diffusion of sustainability, across a range of sectors including energy, transport, agriculture, education, tourism and employment . The concept of the diffusion of sustainability is outlined in the paper as a means through which to categories the holistic impact which community led climate action projects can facilitate across a range of sectors, using Dingle Peninsula 2030 as a case study for investigation.

Instilling a collaborative approach can widen participation to a range of stakeholders, enabling the diffusion of sustainability and increasing local capacity to meet decarbonisation targets to mitigate against climate change. Dingle Peninsula 2030 has emerged as an international case study of a collaborative regional sustainability project, whereby a wide range of initiatives, beyond the initial remit of the project, have emerged in the area. This holistic scale of action is required for effective climate action. Using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framing, the interrelated nature of climate action has been shown through this study. In setting out to undergo energy projects a wide range of new initiatives emerged as community members became engaged in the process. Initiatives have emerged related to energy, transport, agriculture, education, tourism and employment, in what we have coined the ‘diffusion of sustainability’.