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Demand-side solutions to climate change mitigation consistent with high levels of well-being

Journal Article · · Nature Climate Change
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [8];  [4];  [9];  [10];  [11];  [12];  [4];  [13];  [14];  [15];  [16];  [17];  [18] more »;  [19];  [20];  [21];  [22];  [23];  [24] « less
  1. Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change, Berlin (Germany); Technical University of Berlin (Germany)
  2. Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change, Berlin (Germany)
  3. Australian National University, Canberra, ACT (Australia)
  4. Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change, Berlin (Germany); University of Leeds (United Kingdom)
  5. University of Cambridge (United Kingdom)
  6. Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz (Mexico)
  7. Copenhagen Business School (Denmark)
  8. International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg (Austria)
  9. European Commission, Ispra (Italy). Joint Research Centre
  10. University of California, Santa Barbara, CA (United States)
  11. IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, Gothenburg (Sweden)
  12. Technical University of Berlin (Germany); Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Potsdam (Germany); University of Oxford (United Kingdom)
  13. National Observatory of Athens (Greece)
  14. University College London (United Kingdom)
  15. Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Kanagawa (Japan)
  16. Ahmedabad University (India)
  17. York University, Toronto, ON (Canada)
  18. Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok (Thailand); Jadavpur University, Kolkata (India)
  19. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
  20. OpenExp, Paris (France); University of Lausanne (Switzerland)
  21. Ahmedabad University (India); Jadavpur University, Kolkata (India)
  22. University of Groningen (Netherlands)
  23. University of Lausanne (Switzerland)
  24. Central European University, Budapest (Hungary)

Mitigation solutions are often evaluated in terms of costs and greenhouse gas reduction potentials, missing out on the consideration of direct effects on human well-being. Here, we systematically assess the mitigation potential of demand-side options categorized into avoid, shift and improve, and their human well-being links. Here we show that these options, bridging socio-behavioural, infrastructural and technological domains, can reduce counterfactual sectoral emissions by 40–80% in end-use sectors. Based on expert judgement and an extensive literature database, we evaluate 306 combinations of well-being outcomes and demand-side options, finding largely beneficial effects in improvement in well-being (79% positive, 18% neutral and 3% negative), even though we find low confidence on the social dimensions of well-being. Implementing such nuanced solutions is based axiomatically on an understanding of malleable rather than fixed preferences, and procedurally on changing infrastructures and choice architectures. Results demonstrate the high mitigation potential of demand-side mitigation options that are synergistic with well-being.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC); Federal Ministry of Education and Research; Robert Bosch Foundation
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
1973406
Journal Information:
Nature Climate Change, Journal Name: Nature Climate Change Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 12; ISSN 1758-678X
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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