A quantitative evaluation of the public response to climate engineering Wright, M., Teagle, D. and Feetham, P. (2014) A quantitative evaluation of the public response to climate engineering, Nature Climate Change, 4(2), 106--110 http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2087 The United Nations has sought carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions controls to address the risks of climate change through the Kyoto Protocol and the Copenhagen Diagnosis. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warn that if average global surface temperatures rise more than 2 °C above pre-industrial levels, the effects on the Earth's eco-systems and species will be extensive. 1 Average global surface temperatures have risen around 0.74 °C in the last one hundred years and a further rise of 0.6 °C is believed inevitable. 2 Unless CO 2 emissions are reduced by 50 percent before 2050, average global surface warming will exceed 2 °C this century. 3 Present methods of mitigation and adaptation appear inadequate, as growth in atmospheric carbon dioxide continues unchecked. 4,5,6,7 3The failure of existing mitigation methods has led to investigation of alternative solutions including climate engineering, defined as deliberate large-scale manipulation of the planetary environment to counteract anthropogenic climate change. 4 Initial qualitative work to engage the public on climate engineering has taken place in the United Kingdom and included small group discussions, open access events and a qualitative on-line survey of stakeholders. 10,11 These showed low awareness of climate engineering, but a preference for CDR over SRM on the basis that CDR techniques mitigate increasing atmospheric CO 2 , the root cause of anthropogenic climate change. This smallsample qualitative approach was further applied to stratospheric aerosols, identifying considerable public discomfort with this particular technique. 12,13 Large-scale quantitative work remains at an exploratory stage. One study examined public perceptions of SRM and the characteristics of those who were more, or less, opposed in North America and the United Kingdom, but did not compare specific SRM or CDR techniques. 14 Another US-based study used a split sample to compare two relatively safe (n=506) and two less safe (n=500) climate engineering techniques. However, the concept presentations were not adequately controlled, and a large bias eventuated between the subsamples. 15 A third study (n=1822) used one sentence descriptions of CDR and SRM to 4 gauge relative support in the United Kingdom, but did not investigate any technique in detail. 16 Here we report large-scale quantitative work that systematically examines and compares public reaction to six climate engineering techniques in a controlled fashion. We draw on techniques from Marketing, a discipline with extensive experience in public engagement and evaluation of concepts. Brand researchers are lead users of the psychological techniques used to elicit congitive associations, and have deployed these in large-scale surveys to evaluate b...

This study explores sense-making about climate engineering among lay focus group participants in Japan, New Zealand, the USA and Sweden. In total, 23 qualitative focus group interviews of 136 participants were conducted. The analyses considered sense-making strategies and heuristics among the focus group participants and identified commonalities and variations in the data, exploring participants' initial and spontaneous reactions to climate engineering and to several recurrent arguments that feature in scientific and public debate (e.g. climate emergency). We found that, despite this study's wide geographical scope, heterogeneous focus group compositions, and the use of different moderators, common themes emerged. Participants made sense of climate engineering in similar ways, for example, through context-dependent analogies and metaphorical Climatic Change (2017)

International CO2 emissions reduction commitments are insufficient to avert damaging global warming and imperil a sustainable future. Climate engineering approaches are increasingly proposed as near-term intervention strategies, but deployment of these controversial techniques will require careful engagement with and the support of the public. New quantitative measurements of public perceptions for six climate engineering approaches show that the public of the United Kingdom (UK), United States (US), Australia (AU), and New Zealand (NZ) continue to have little knowledge of climate engineering. All approaches are regarded unfavourably, albeit less so for Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) than Solar Radiation Management (SRM). Knowledge and perceptions are remarkably similar between countries although UK and US respondents are more favourable towards SRM and UK respondents are more favourable towards CDR. Stratospheric Aerosol Injection is the most negatively perceived approach. Support for small-scale trials is also higher for CDR approaches than SRM. Statistical analyses yield mixed relationships between perceptions of climate engineering and age, political affiliation and pro-ecological views. Thus far, attempts to engage the public with climate engineering have seen little change over time and consequently, there is growing urgency to facilitate careful citizen deliberation using objective and instructive information about climate engineering.

Societal transformation is one of the most topical concepts in sustainability research and policy-making. Used in many ways, it indicates that nonlinear systematic changes are needed in order to fully address global environmental and human development challenges. This paper explores what sustainability transformations mean for lay focus group participants in Cabo Verde, China, Fiji, Sweden, and the USA. Key findings include: (a) Tightly linked to interpersonal relationships, sustainability was seen as going beyond the Sustainable Development Goals to include a sense of belonging; (b) transformations were framed as fundamental changes from today’s society, but most participants stated that transformation pathways need to splice new structures into the old; (c) new technologies are key engines of change. Yet, the most common drivers were awareness, education, and knowledge sharing; and (d) regardless of whether state-centric or decentralized governance was preferred, personal action was seen as essential. The focus groups displayed a shared understanding across the geographical settings; a common realization of profound sustainability predicaments facing societies across the world; and a desire for fundamental change towards a more sustainable way of life.

The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is widely used in industry to measure loyalty and predict revenue growth. The mechanisms underpinning this revenue growth are thought to be (i) positive recommendation from loyal customers to potential customers, and (ii) increased purchases from the existing base of loyal customers. These claims are controversial, with both the methodology and the performance of NPS being challenged by a number of researchers. The present study adds evidence to this debate through the analysis of a repeated cross-sectional data set (n = 2785) from a services company operating in a business to business context in the New Zealand primary sector. The data include recommendation scores matched to past, current and future revenue, at both the aggregate and individual level, over a five-year period. The analysis of this data provides directional support for the association between NPS and company revenue growth, and confirms that promoters do spend more in the current year. However, the analysis shows promoters to be a relatively minor and inconsistent source of same-customer revenue growth, with same-customer growth mostly arising from a general increase across the whole customer base.