Social tipping intervention strategies for rapid decarbonization need to consider how change happens

Smith, Steven R.; Christie, Ian; Willis, Rebecca

doi:10.1073/pnas.2002331117

Cited by 44 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…The question remains how these solution approaches help in overcoming the capitalist dynamics previously outlined, since here bottom-up and governmental action seem to be limited. It is important to recognise the pivotal role of social movements in this process, which can bring forward social tipping points through complex, unpredictable and reinforcing feedbacks 92,93 and create windows of opportunity from crises 77,94 .…”

Section: Highmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Scientists’ warning on affluence

et al. 2020

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For over half a century, worldwide growth in affluence has continuously increased resource use and pollutant emissions far more rapidly than these have been reduced through better technology. The affluent citizens of the world are responsible for most environmental impacts and are central to any future prospect of retreating to safer environmental conditions. We summarise the evidence and present possible solution approaches. Any transition towards sustainability can only be effective if far-reaching lifestyle changes complement technological advancements. However, existing societies, economies and cultures incite consumption expansion and the structural imperative for growth in competitive market economies inhibits necessary societal change.R ecent scientists' warnings confirm alarming trends of environmental degradation from human activity, leading to profound changes in essential life-sustaining functions of planet Earth 1-3 . The warnings surmise that humanity has failed to find lasting solutions to these changes that pose existential threats to natural systems, economies and societies and call for action by governments and individuals.The warnings aptly describe the problems, identify population, economic growth and affluence as drivers of unsustainable trends and acknowledge that humanity needs to reassess the role of growth-oriented economies and the pursuit of affluence 1,2 . However, they fall short of clearly identifying the underlying forces of overconsumption and of spelling out the measures that are needed to tackle the overwhelming power of consumption and the economic growth paradigm 4 . This perspective synthesises existing knowledge and recommendations from the scientific community. We provide evidence from the literature that consumption of affluent households worldwide is by far the strongest determinant and the strongest accelerator of increases of global environmental and social impacts. We describe the systemic drivers of affluent overconsumption and synthesise the literature that provides possible solutions by reforming or changing economic systems. These solution approaches range from reformist to radical ideas, including degrowth, eco-socialism and eco-anarchism. Based on these insights, we distil recommendations for further research in the final section. Affluence as a driver of environmental and social impactsThe link between consumption and impacts. There exists a large body of literature in which the relationship between environmental, resource and social impacts on one hand, and possible explanatory variables on the other, is investigated. We review and summarise those studies that holistically assess the impact of human activities, in the sense that impacts are not restricted to

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Section: Highmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Adding to this, as Smith et al 93 point out in reaction to Otto et al 92 , it is crucial to ask "Who initiates deliberate, radical change in the collective interest?" and to recognise the pivotal role of social movements in this process.…”

Section: Research On Societal Changes For Citizens and Communitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scientists’ warning on affluence

et al. 2020

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“…However, as Jewell & Cherp state, political feasibility is softer than socio-technical feasibility 25 , with high actor motivation potentially compensating for low action capacity and social change being complex, non-linear and essentially unpredictable 50 . Political feasibility further depends to a large extent on social movements formulating and pushing for the implementation of political programs, changing values, practices and cultures and building alternative institutions 49,51 as well as scientists pointing the way to alternative paradigms 49 . Consequently, degrowth implies modifications to the strategies for change, with a stronger focus on bottom-up social movements 9,19,49 .…”

Section: Scenario Assessment: Interpretation Of Relative Risk Indicatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consequently, degrowth implies modifications to the strategies for change, with a stronger focus on bottom-up social movements 9,19,49 . As many research questions on degrowth remain open 9,19 and the state of political feasibility can change with better knowledge about and awareness of alternative paradigms, strengthened social movements and a clearer understanding about transition processes [49][50][51] , it is even more crucial to investigate degrowth pathways.…”

Section: Scenario Assessment: Interpretation Of Relative Risk Indicatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

1.5 °C degrowth scenarios suggest the need for new mitigation pathways

2021

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Abstract1.5 °C scenarios reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) rely on combinations of controversial negative emissions and unprecedented technological change, while assuming continued growth in gross domestic product (GDP). Thus far, the integrated assessment modelling community and the IPCC have neglected to consider degrowth scenarios, where economic output declines due to stringent climate mitigation. Hence, their potential to avoid reliance on negative emissions and speculative rates of technological change remains unexplored. As a first step to address this gap, this paper compares 1.5 °C degrowth scenarios with IPCC archetype scenarios, using a simplified quantitative representation of the fuel-energy-emissions nexus. Here we find that the degrowth scenarios minimize many key risks for feasibility and sustainability compared to technology-driven pathways, such as the reliance on high energy-GDP decoupling, large-scale carbon dioxide removal and large-scale and high-speed renewable energy transformation. However, substantial challenges remain regarding political feasibility. Nevertheless, degrowth pathways should be thoroughly considered.

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“…Without the support of actors in government, business or finance, a coalition for rapid change needs to be civil society-and social movement-led [89]. A sufficiently broad, motivated coalition of people and organisations would need to mobilise around a unified goal, eventually reaching a critical "mass" and "momentum" that demonstrates the political mandate for change [44,[90][91][92] A crucial element to success, which applies equally to social movements such as Extinction Rebellion [93], to participatory processes such as climate assemblies, and to NGO campaigns, lies in the ability of these actors to develop enduring networks of support [94][95][96][97]. Urgenda (Figure 8, column 2036-2040, row International NGO) is a good example.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge Integration in the Politics and Policy of Rapid Transitions to Net Zero Carbon: A Typology and Mapping Method for Climate Actors in the UK

Smith

Christie

2021

Sustainability

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The types of political and policy knowledge required to guide rapid transition to low-carbon economies remain largely disconnected in the fields of political science, psychology, and sociology. The composition and key features of the main actors involved, and their relationships have also not been systematically described. This paper attempts to address these knowledge gaps by proposing a new, integrative typology of actors involved in climate change mitigation policy in the United Kingdom (UK) and a method for mapping these actors and selecting their typological descriptors onto a 2D space. The mapping method enables stakeholders to visualise and evaluate the strength of support for the UK government’s net-zero-by-2050 “green growth” strategy and the tensions, challenges, and strategic opportunities potentially facing more radical alternatives. The methodology could be replicated for climate actors in other countries and, in principle, for any geographical scale or level of governance.

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Social tipping intervention strategies for rapid decarbonization need to consider how change happens

Cited by 44 publications

References 7 publications

Scientists’ warning on affluence

Scientists’ warning on affluence

1.5 °C degrowth scenarios suggest the need for new mitigation pathways

Knowledge Integration in the Politics and Policy of Rapid Transitions to Net Zero Carbon: A Typology and Mapping Method for Climate Actors in the UK

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