Draft:Climate mitigation gap
| Submission declined on 13 December 2023 by Nagol0929 (talk). This submission reads more like an essay than an encyclopedia article. Submissions should summarise information in secondary, reliable sources and not contain opinions or original research. Please write about the topic from a neutral point of view in an encyclopedic manner.
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Comment: I strongly suggest this article be declined as I (and others) believe that the Wynes and Nicholas paper cited is fatally flawed, as explained in detail at Talk:Individual_action_on_climate_change#Problems_with_the_having_fewer_children_action Chidgk1 (talk) 13:04, 13 December 2023 (UTC)
Climate mitigation gap[edit]
The climate mitigation gap refers to the discrepancy between actions that individuals are currently taking to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and actions that are most effective in achieving significant reductions. This gap exists in part because many of the actions that are commonly recommended, have only a low or moderate impact on emissions.[1]
High-impact actions[edit]
Considering a broad range of individual lifestyle choices and calculating their potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in developed countries, a study by Seth Wynes and Kimberly A. Nicholas (2017)[1] identified high-impact actions that may contribute to systemic change and substantially reduce annual personal emissions:
- Living car-free;
- Avoiding airplane travel;
- Eating a plant-based diet.
These actions have much greater potential to reduce emissions than commonly promoted strategies like comprehensive recycling (four times less effective than a plant-based diet) or changing household lightbulbs (eight times less).[1]
Reasons for the climate mitigation gap[edit]
Despite the significant potential of these high-impact actions, they are often not emphasized in government recommendations or educational materials. Instead, governments and educators tend to focus on moderate or low-impact actions, such as recycling or changing household lightbulbs.
Several factors contribute to the gap between high-impact actions and recommended actions:
- Political sensitivity: Some high-impact actions may be considered politically sensitive, and governments may be hesitant to promote them;
- Perception of effectiveness: Moderate or low-impact actions may be perceived as more achievable or easier to implement, even though they have a smaller overall impact;
- Lack of awareness: Many people may not be aware of the potential of high-impact actions or how to implement them effectively.
Closing the gap[edit]
Addressing the climate mitigation gap supports various factors affecting pro-environmental behavior.[2] To close the climate mitigation gap, it is essential to focus on promoting high-impact actions and providing accurate guidance and information about how to implement them.
By focusing on high-impact actions, individuals can make a significant contribution to climate mitigation. By promoting high-impact actions, governments and educators can encourage widespread adoption and accelerate progress towards a sustainable future.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Wynes, Seth; Nicholas, Kimberly A (2017-07-01). "The climate mitigation gap: education and government recommendations miss the most effective individual actions". Environmental Research Letters. 12 (7): 074024. Bibcode:2017ERL....12g4024W. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/aa7541. ISSN 1748-9326.
- ^ Pongiglione, Francesca (2011). "Climate Change and Individual Decision Making: An Examination of Knowledge, Risk Perception, Self-Interest and their Interplay". SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.1960496. ISSN 1556-5068. S2CID 142567793.