August 18-21, 2025, South Africa & Online
Navigating Sustainability Transformations
towards Justice and Equity
Transformations Community / ESG Conference 2025
SAVE THE DATE!
We are thrilled to announce that, for the first time in Africa, the Transformations Conference will be held in collaboration with Earth System Governance Project (ESG). This premier event is for changemakers, thought leaders, and innovators dedicated to creating a sustainable, regenerative, and equitable future. The Transformations Community's 7th biennial conference will be held in the magnificent Kruger National Park, South Africa.
From Europe to South America, the United States to Australia, the Transformations Conference has connected minds worldwide. In 2025, we’re excited to host in Africa, enhancing our global reach and fostering international cooperation in sustainability.
For the 2025 edition, we are proud to partner with ESG project, the largest social science research network in the area of governance and global environmental change. ESG project has a rich history of hosting global conferences in cities like Amsterdam, Colorado, Lund, Tokyo, Nairobi, and Oaxaca.
Engage with experts and peers, explore cutting-edge solutions, and be inspired by transformative ideas. Mark your calendars and prepare to join us for an unforgettable experience at the Transformations Community/Earth System Governance Conference 2025. Together, we will explore innovative approaches to achieving justice and equity in sustainability transformations.
Organizers & Co-Conveners
The Transformations Community is a global consortium of researchers and practitioners fostering equitable, sustainable, and regenerative futures. It unites members from diverse sectors and disciplines, making it a hub for transformative thought and action.
Our co-conveners welcome you to South Africa in 2025!
We’re excited to welcome you to the Transformations/Earth System Governance Conference 2025! In this short video, Bruce Goldstein, Laura Pereira, and Kyla Tienhaara, our co-conveners, share insights into the conference highlights and extend a heartfelt invitation to South Africa!
Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a transformative global dialogue!
The Earth System Governance is a global research network exploring political solutions and effective governance for environmental change. It connects scholars from social sciences and humanities globally.
Wits University will host the Transformations Community/ ESG Conference 2025. The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, has been a leading African institution known for academic excellence, impactful research, and social justice since 1896.
Event Details
Kruger National Park, South Africa – The Main Event
• Location: Kruger National Park, South Africa & Online
• Host: Wits University
• Dates: August 18-21, 2025, South Africa & Online
(with post-conference activities on 22nd)
• Submission deadline: November 30
• Venue: Skukuza Safari Lodge
• Theme: Navigating Sustainability Transformations towards Justice and Equity
Kruger National Park, known for its stunning wildlife and unique biodiversity, will be the central hub for our global discussions and initiatives. The conference will feature a hybrid setting, with both
in-person and online participation options, including a dedicated
online-only day.
Why Attend?
Engage with Global Experts
Join a diverse group of thought leaders and practitioners from around the world to discuss and develop actionable solutions for sustainability and regenerative practices.
Connect with Nature and Diverse Perspectives
Connect with a variety of voices and experiences in the unique surroundings of Kruger National Park.
Expand Your Network
Connect with like-minded individuals, foster new collaborations, and build lasting relationships that can drive change in your community and beyond.
Session Themes
We welcome theoretical contributions alongside practical techniques, strategies, workshops, and case studies. Theoretical work coupled with case studies and examples of how practices can drive systemic change are highly encouraged, ensuring actionable insights and transformative impacts. This approach aims to bridge the gap between conceptual understanding and real-world applications, fostering a comprehensive dialogue that encompasses both academic rigor and practical relevance.
We invite contributions on the following:
Bridging and Bonding Worlds
This theme emphasizes collaborative community engagement and participatory methods and processes. It focuses on how multiple knowledge systems, world views, and social-ecological norms influence the conceptualization and implementation of sustainability initiatives. Contributions could address aspects of participatory governance including community projects, leadership within networks, enabling change-agents, and capacity-exchange programs that support community participation. We especially encourage submissions that showcase South-South dialogue and that foreground indigenous and local knowledge systems. Specific topics could include participatory methods for visioning and collaboration, confronting issues of colonization, and achieving equity in knowledge co-production across marine and terrestrial social-ecological systems. Art-science and other inter and trans-disciplinary collaborations are especially welcomed.
Disruptive Change
This theme examines the rapid and often disruptive nature of technological, cultural, political and economic changes and their implications for sustainability transformations. It invites presentations and innovative sessions exploring strategies to combat the negative impacts of technological developments as well as ways to harness disruptive changes in ways that can foster transformations to benefit all segments of society, including marginalized groups. Examples of possible topics include managing the impacts of AI and machine learning on the environment and communities, integrating systems sensing for navigating eco-social crises, technology for improved data monitoring and transparency, and governance strategies for developing and deploying smart technologies. Economic innovation is also included here, such as sustainable finance models and new ways to address the economic impacts of technological adoption.
Governance and Multilateralism
Under Pressure
This theme invites contributions on the relationship between democracy and sustainability transformations and the mechanisms to bolster innovative democratic processes, enhance multilateral cooperation, and develop governance models that support sustainability and address power dynamics. Topics include innovative pathways for transformation, such as strategies to navigate political challenges and resource constraints, and generating knowledge and processes for justly and equitably implementing global environmental agreements like the Paris Agreement and the Global Biodiversity Framework. Emphasis is placed on citizen engagement and participatory democracy, as well as effective legal and policy interventions and governance frameworks that bring together diverse stakeholders across all scales.
Transformative Culture and Learning for navigating aspirational futures
This theme explores the critical role of cultural narratives, imaginative approaches, and innovative educational practices in driving sustainability transformations. It emphasizes the integration of inner transformations, well-being, and leadership development in shaping values and norms that support transformative change from local to global levels. Contributions can address methods for fostering a culture of sustainability, including participatory visioning and pathway development, storytelling, and creative problem-solving. Key topics include transformative learning methods, educational innovations, lifelong learning, art and media, decolonial praxis, and scaling successful practices appropriately. Additionally, it covers ensuring inclusion and access for under-represented communities and knowledge systems, acknowledging the ‘dark side’ of transformation processes.
Preliminary Timeline
Get Involved!
Are you interested in hosting a TCX event?
Interested in contributing to TCX? Whether it’s a workshop, online dialogue, or event, fill out this form to join our global network and drive transformative change.
Would you like to support
the TC/ESG 2025 Conference?
Explore our sponsorship and partnership opportunities. Your contribution can help make this event a success and amplify our collective impact.
Interested in shaping next year’s gathering in person or online?
Contribute your ideas and expertise to our transformative events, whether through TRAC & DoM committees, or other initiatives. Express your interest here.
“Hosting the Transformations Conference 2023 in Sydney was a personally transformative experience. I continue to take great energy from the inspiring stories shared during the conference, the new connections made and the deep wisdom of our participants. It was an honour to continue building the Transformations Community, which has been such an invaluable source of support in my own career.”
Chris Riedy, Associate Director,
Institute for Sustainable Futures, UTS
New to Our Conferences?
If you’re not familiar with our past conferences, we invite you to explore
the highlights and key takeaways from our previous editions.
What Our Attendees Say
Kylie Wrigley Community organizer
and PhD candidate, Murdoch University
“So excited to have made connections and spoken at the Transformations Conference 2023. It was such a generative and affirming experience to be among so many creative and courageous people doing amazing work around the world. Feeling inspired, humbled, and hopeful about this Transformations Community.”
Taiwo I. Olatunji Ph.D. Researcher
at the University of Padua
“Speaking and learning at the TC23 was an incredible and insightful experience. The Transformations Community is uniquely enriched with various scholars and practitioners.”
Anita Lazurko, Scenario Developer,
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
“TC23 has come to an end. There were many highlights, mostly focused on the stimulating conversations and the seeds of new friendships and collaborations to come. Grateful to be part of such a vibrant and engaged community.”
Stay Connected
Stay tuned for more updates and detailed agendas as we approach the event dates.
We look forward to welcoming you to South Africa for an unforgettable experience.