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The role of high-socioeconomic-status people in locking in or rapidly reducing energy-driven greenhouse gas emissions

Author

Listed:
  • Kristian S. Nielsen

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Kimberly A. Nicholas

    (Lund University)

  • Felix Creutzig

    (Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change
    Technical University Berlin)

  • Thomas Dietz

    (Michigan State University
    Michigan State University
    University of Vermont)

  • Paul C. Stern

    (Social and Environmental Research Institute)

Abstract

People with high socioeconomic status disproportionally affect energy-driven greenhouse gas emissions directly through their consumption and indirectly through their financial and social resources. However, few climate change mitigation initiatives have targeted this population segment, and the potential of such initiatives remains insufficiently researched. In this Perspective, we analyse key characteristics of high-socioeconomic-status people and explore five roles through which they have a disproportionate impact on energy-driven greenhouse gas emissions and potentially on climate change mitigation, namely as consumers, investors, role models, organizational participants and citizens. We examine what is known about their disproportionate impact via consumption and explore their potential influence on greenhouse gas emissions through all five roles. We suggest that future research should focus on strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by high-socioeconomic-status people and to align their investments, organizational choices and actions as social and political change agents with climate change mitigation goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Kristian S. Nielsen & Kimberly A. Nicholas & Felix Creutzig & Thomas Dietz & Paul C. Stern, 2021. "The role of high-socioeconomic-status people in locking in or rapidly reducing energy-driven greenhouse gas emissions," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 6(11), pages 1011-1016, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natene:v:6:y:2021:i:11:d:10.1038_s41560-021-00900-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41560-021-00900-y
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