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Climate politics, metaphors and the fractal carbon trap

Author

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  • Steven Bernstein

    (University of Toronto)

  • Matthew Hoffmann

    (University of Toronto Scarborough)

Abstract

The international community has treated climate change as an emissions reduction challenge, drawing on the analytical metaphor of the global commons, and thus the politics of collective action and international cooperation. So far, these strategies have failed to produce an effective global response. We propose decarbonization as the defining challenge and a new guiding metaphor for the problem structure: the global fractal. This metaphor aptly describes the decarbonization challenge, capturing the multilevel and interdependent nature of carbon lock-in and the fractal carbon trap facing decarbonization efforts. It also provides a means to explore the range of diverse policies and practices that can potentially escape the fractal carbon trap and catalyse deep decarbonization.

Suggested Citation

  • Steven Bernstein & Matthew Hoffmann, 2019. "Climate politics, metaphors and the fractal carbon trap," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 9(12), pages 919-925, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:9:y:2019:i:12:d:10.1038_s41558-019-0618-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-019-0618-2
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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.
    2. Best, Rohan & Zhang, Qiu Yue, 2020. "What explains carbon-pricing variation between countries?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    3. Graeme Auld & Steven Bernstein & Benjamin Cashore & Kelly Levin, 2021. "Managing pandemics as super wicked problems: lessons from, and for, COVID-19 and the climate crisis," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 54(4), pages 707-728, December.
    4. Yuhao Ba & Kathryn Schwaeble & Thomas Birkland, 2022. "The United States in Chinese environmental policy narratives: Is there a trump effect?," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 39(6), pages 708-729, November.
    5. Goldstein, Jenny E. & Neimark, Benjamin & Garvey, Brian & Phelps, Jacob, 2023. "Unlocking “lock-in” and path dependency: A review across disciplines and socio-environmental contexts," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    6. Thomas Hale, 2020. "Catalytic Cooperation," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 20(4), pages 73-98, Autumn.
    7. Johannes Stripple & Alexandra Nikoleris & Roger Hildingsson, 2021. "Carbon Ruins: Engaging with Post-Fossil Transitions through Participatory World-Building," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9(2), pages 87-99.

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