1. Bridging analytical approaches for low-carbon transitions
- Author
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Geels, Frank, Berkhout, Frans, van Vuuren, D.P., and Environmental Sciences
- Subjects
Management science ,Ecology ,Computer science ,020209 energy ,integrated methods ,02 engineering and technology ,Environmental Science (miscellaneous) ,Climate policy ,Bridging (programming) ,Earth system science ,climate change ,low carbon transitions ,Policy decision ,Sustainability ,Taverne ,0202 electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering ,Action research ,Social Sciences (miscellaneous) ,Legitimacy ,Strengths and weaknesses - Abstract
Building bridges between three analytical approaches with quite different foundational bases should lead to a more comprehensive understanding of low-carbon transitions, in turn leading to more informed and effective policy decisions. Low-carbon transitions are long-term multi-faceted processes. Although integrated assessment models have many strengths for analysing such transitions, their mathematical representation requires a simplification of the causes, dynamics and scope of such societal transformations. We suggest that integrated assessment model-based analysis should be complemented with insights from socio-technical transition analysis and practice-based action research. We discuss the underlying assumptions, strengths and weaknesses of these three analytical approaches. We argue that full integration of these approaches is not feasible, because of foundational differences in philosophies of science and ontological assumptions. Instead, we suggest that bridging, based on sequential and interactive articulation of different approaches, may generate a more comprehensive and useful chain of assessments to support policy formation and action. We also show how these approaches address knowledge needs of different policymakers (international, national and local), relate to different dimensions of policy processes and speak to different policy-relevant criteria such as cost-effectiveness, socio-political feasibility, social acceptance and legitimacy, and flexibility. A more differentiated set of analytical approaches thus enables a more differentiated approach to climate policy making.
- Published
- 2016