Spatial perspectives on sustainability priorities: Key stakeholders' insights

Abstract

Long-term sustainability transformation requires a nuanced understanding of the value priorities among key stakeholders across diverse spatial scales. This study unravels these priorities among two vital stakeholder groups in Hungary - mayors and school principals - when contemplating local, national, and global sustainability challenges. The findings highlight how priorities manifest distinctly across these spatial scales and among different socio-demographic groups, revealing interesting patterns of spatial appreciation and discounting of certain priorities. A novel Sustainability Complexity (SC) indicator sheds light on stakeholders' balanced consideration of the three sustainability dimensions - Economy, Society, and Environment. The research also introduces the concept of Thinking-Attitude-Behaviour (TAB) priorities, such as mindset change and consumption reduction, with specific groups playing a pivotal role in driving broader societal sustainability transformations. Crucially, it identifies potential areas of misalignment between stakeholders' sustainability priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), underscoring the need for greater dialogue and continued research for alignment. The findings contribute valuable insights to the design of more effective stakeholder engagement strategies and policy frameworks, bolstering the pursuit of sustainability transformation in alignment with the SDGs.