Abstract
A rapid and effective transition to low-carbon energy production is essential to limit climate change impacts. While the scientific community has mostly focused on research and development and techno-economic aspects, quantifying the role of public acceptability and policy in shaping emission trajectories has been much more elusive. This study investigates the coupled dynamics of nonlinear socio-political acceptance and anthropogenic CO2 emissions, with implications for climate policies and clean energy investments. Our findings show that a top-down policy approach alone may not be sufficient for effective emission cuts, highlighting the need for a multi-level strategy that combines top-down and bottom-up approaches. Additionally, opinion polarization can trigger detrimental CO2 emission oscillations when governments decide to take heavy-handed policy interventions in highly polarized socio-political systems. Delayed perception of climate change damage or abrupt reactions to extreme weather events may also significantly affect emission reduction efforts, although in the opposite direction. Integrating these socio-political dynamics into climate models can enhance our understanding of the complex interplay between human and natural systems, enabling the development of more effective and resilient mitigation strategies.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 074017 |
Journal | Environmental Research Letters |
Volume | 19 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 1 2024 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- General Environmental Science
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Keywords
- climate change
- coupled human-natural systems
- emission cuts
- opinion dynamics
- socio-political feedback