Closing the financial gap for promoting systemic socio-economic transformations to achieve sustainability requires both a substantial increase in investment levels and a qualitative change in investment strategies. In this Perspective, we elaborate on this claim and discuss why existing investment approaches that aim to make positive contributions to sustainability are unlikely to foster the systemic transformations needed for sustainability. Qualitative change means changing the current rules that guide investment practices and we outline a new set of rules that should guide transformative investment. These rules are based on the well-established socio-technical sustainability transition theory and the recent development of a theory of deep transitions. We explain why these transformative investment rules offer a promising alternative base for assessing investment opportunities and monitoring progress toward the multi-system changes required to achieve a socially just deep transition to sustainability.

缩小资金缺口，促进系统性社会经济转型，实现可持续发展，既需要大幅提高投资水平，又需要投资战略发生质的变化。在本视角中，我们详细阐述了这一主张，并讨论了为什么旨在为可持续发展做出积极贡献的现有投资方法不太可能促进可持续发展所需的系统性转型。质变意味着改变指导投资实践的现行规则，我们概述了一套指导变革性投资的新规则。这些规则基于完善的社会技术可持续性转型理论和最近发展的深度转型理论。我们解释了为什么这些变革性投资规则为评估投资机会和监测实现社会公正向可持续发展的深度转型所需的多系统变革的进展提供了一个有前途的替代基础。