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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.

Suggested Citation

  • 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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    2. von Uexkull, Nina & Rød, Espen Geelmuyden & Svensson, Isak, 2024. "Fueling protest? Climate change mitigation, fuel prices and protest onset," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    3. Baker Matovu & Raimund Bleischwitz & Meltem Alkoyak-Yildiz & Sudha Arlikatti, 2024. "Invigorating women’s empowerment in marine fishing to promote transformative cultures and narratives for sustainability in the blue economy: a scoping literature review from the Global South," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 29(8), pages 1-45, December.
    4. Schulze, M. & Janssen, M. & Aschemann-Witzel, J., 2024. "How to move the transition to sustainable food consumption towards a societal tipping point," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    5. Geels, Frank W. & Ayoub, Martina, 2023. "A socio-technical transition perspective on positive tipping points in climate change mitigation: Analysing seven interacting feedback loops in offshore wind and electric vehicles acceleration," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    6. 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.
    7. Louis J. Kotzé & Benoit Mayer & Harro van Asselt & Joana Setzer & Frank Biermann & Nicolas Celis & Sam Adelman & Bridget Lewis & Amanda Kennedy & Helen Arling & Birgit Peters, 2024. "Courts, climate litigation and the evolution of earth system law," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 15(1), pages 5-22, February.
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    9. Drews, Stefan, 2025. "Towards systems-oriented behavioral ecological economics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
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    13. Penny Mealy & Pete Barbrook-Johnson & Matthew C Ives & Sugandha Srivastav & Cameron Hepburn, 2023. "Sensitive intervention points: a strategic approach to climate action," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 39(4), pages 694-710.

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