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

Creutzig, F., Niamir, L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0285-5542, Bai, X., Callaghan, M., Cullen, J., Díaz-José, J., Figueroa, M., Grubler, A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7814-4990, Lamb, W.F., Leip, A., Masanet, E., Mata, É., Mattauch, L., Minx, J.C., Mirasgedis, S., Mulugetta, Y., Nugroho, S.B., Pathak, M., Perkins, P., Roy, J., et al. (2022). Demand-side solutions to climate change mitigation consistent with high levels of well-being. Nature Climate Change 12 36-46. 10.1038/s41558-021-01219-y.

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Abstract

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. 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.

Item Type:	Article
Research Programs:	Energy, Climate, and Environment (ECE) Energy, Climate, and Environment (ECE) > Sustainable Service Systems (S3) Energy, Climate, and Environment (ECE) > Transformative Institutional and Social Solutions (TISS)
Depositing User:	Michaela Rossini
Date Deposited:	26 Nov 2021 17:09
Last Modified:	09 Sep 2024 12:42
URI:	https://pure.iiasa.ac.at/17669

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