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Social tipping processes towards climate action: A conceptual framework

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  • Winkelmann, Ricarda
  • Donges, Jonathan F.
  • Smith, E. Keith
  • Milkoreit, Manjana
  • Eder, Christina
  • Heitzig, Jobst
  • Katsanidou, Alexia
  • Wiedermann, Marc
  • Wunderling, Nico
  • Lenton, Timothy M.

Abstract

Societal transformations are necessary to address critical global challenges, such as mitigation of anthropogenic climate change and reaching UN sustainable development goals. Recently, social tipping processes have received increased attention, as they present a form of social change whereby a small change can shift a sensitive social system into a qualitatively different state due to strongly self-amplifying (mathematically positive) feedback mechanisms. Social tipping processes with respect to technological and energy systems, political mobilization, financial markets and sociocultural norms and behaviors have been suggested as potential key drivers towards climate action.

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  • Winkelmann, Ricarda & Donges, Jonathan F. & Smith, E. Keith & Milkoreit, Manjana & Eder, Christina & Heitzig, Jobst & Katsanidou, Alexia & Wiedermann, Marc & Wunderling, Nico & Lenton, Timothy M., 2022. "Social tipping processes towards climate action: A conceptual framework," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:192:y:2022:i:c:s0921800921003013
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.107242
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    Cited by:

    1. Sibel Eker & Charlie Wilson & Niklas Hohne & Mark S. McCaffrey & Irene Monasterolo & Leila Niamir & Caroline Zimm, 2023. "A dynamic systems approach to harness the potential of social tipping," Papers 2309.14964, arXiv.org.
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    3. Sönke Ehret & Sara M. Constantino & Elke U. Weber & Charles Efferson & Sonja Vogt, 2022. "Group identities can undermine social tipping after intervention," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 6(12), pages 1669-1679, December.
    4. Nicholas Stern & Joseph E Stiglitz, 2023. "Climate change and growth," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 32(2), pages 277-303.
    5. Eder, Christina & Stadelmann-Steffen, Isabelle, 2023. "Bringing the political system (back) into social tipping relevant to sustainability," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).

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