ABSTRACT
Much is made of society innovating itself out of environmental challenges. However, experience provides no evidence that sustainability-oriented innovations, which abound, have significant impact on transitioning to sustainability. We explain why, and we propose a way forward. Our core message is that innovations occur and diffuse within a broader socio-technical-economic-ecological milieu. If we do not consider the complexity and impact of their context, the potential of sustainability-oriented innovations will remain misunderstood; and their promise to address sustainability will become unduly glorified. Sustainability-oriented innovations certainly have a place, but an overly innovation-centric approach to sustainability will complicate rather than facilitate the desired transition.
