160 Chapter 6 I began this thesis by comparing anticipatory governance to demarrages in road cycling – both are efforts to proactively realize a more desirable future. This metaphor visualizes the impact of anticipation on present-day actions – and epitomizes the workings of imagination. This research has explored the power of such imaginations of futures in anticipation processes that guide sustainability transformations across the globe. The aim of this thesis has been to examine how conceptions of the future steer governance actions to be taken in the present, and their implications for realizing sustainability transformations. To achieve this aim, the following research question was formulated: ‘How are conceptions of the future steering anticipatory governance actions in the present and with what implications for realizing sustainability transformations?’. This question was subdivided into four sub-questions. The first question is: ‘‘How do different approaches to anticipatory governance in the literature relate to practice?’ The second question is: ‘Which approaches to anticipatory governance dominate and why?’ The third question is: ‘What are the implications of the prevalence of different approaches to anticipatory governance for realizing sustainability transformations?’ And the fourth question is: ‘How do different approaches to anticipatory governance open up or close down future possibilities?’ This final chapter first presents a summary of the research findings in chapter 6.1 before answering the four questions in a cross-cutting way in section 6.2. Section 6.3 then discusses the implications of the research findings for the wider literature and what future research is needed. The thesis ends by reflecting on the research design in section 6.4 and looking ahead toward future directions for anticipatory governance research in section 6.5. 6.1. Summary of findings After the topic of research and its intended theoretical contributions have been introduced in chapter 1, chapter 2 unpacks divergent explicit and implicit conceptualizations of anticipatory governance in the social science and sustainability science literatures. Four approaches to anticipatory governance are identified with (a) diverse conceptions of the future; (b) implications for actions to be taken in the present; and (c) the ultimate end to be realized through anticipatory governance. These are: Approach 1 assesses probable (and improbable) futures in order to help inform strategic policy planning to reduce future risks. Approach 2 explores plausible futures in order to build capacities and preparedness to reflexively navigate diverse uncertain futures.
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