On April 4, 2022, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published the third phase (Working Group III) of the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), or ‘reduction report’. This is the first complete assessment from the Paris Agreement, which provides a complete understanding of the current situation and why we need to take immediate action. In particular, it conveys a strong message that this decade is crucial to meet the goal of reducing temperatures to 1.5 ° C, and that the action window is short. Although the development of mitigation policies has avoided a large amount of gas emissions in the past, in line with the principles of the Paris Agreement, governments around the world still need to tighten their ties, and take additional steps to account for them.
Previous mitigation policies have focused on the supply side, such as power system changes or land use changes. The AR6 WG III report, for the first time, covers an independent and comprehensive chapter on ‘need, services and social factors for mitigation’, which sets out the needs of each individual in the intermediate phase of the analysis. With contributions from experts in various fields of social science, It summarizes the factors that motivate people to adopt low carbon practices and what actions need to be improved.
Reducing carbon emissions in various sectors
In addition to reducing carbon emissions in various sectors, demand side options can bring great benefits for collaboration and improve human well-being. Creutzig and colleagues conducted systematic literature reviews and used expert judgments to show that many of the desired solutions, such as changing pattern use, active mobility and sharing, and dietary changes, have positive effects on human well-being. Significant improvements can be seen in health, air quality and access to energy, which are often included as combined benefits. These actions can also improve social aspects, such as security and stability.
Demand reduction solutions also have significant implications for justice. It can be an effective tool to reduce carbon emissions and health spaces. Income and wealth inequality are strongly linked to carbon footprint inequality, which is a problem both internally and internationally. It is estimated that about 0.5% of the richest families make up 13.6% of the world’s lifestyle-related emissions, demonstrating the enormous potential for solutions that address the need to reduce pollution by changing lifestyle. On the other side of the spectrum, well-designed climate-related interventions that require a side can help reduce inequalities in access to clean and affordable resources, such as renewable energy and services. This is important for the poorest groups in developing countries, so that their basic needs can be met without compromising reduction policies.
Like mitigation tools on the supply side, there are no shortcuts to rational action side needs. In fact, options to reduce the need for a side require deep and fundamental changes. The WG III report summarizes that such changes will require measures at various levels, including individual, cultural, corporate, institutional and infrastructure. Both inspiration and strength are needed for changes to take place. The complex nature of these changes means that any action with a single dimension or character is far from sufficient. Collaborative and collective efforts are essential for such strategies to be effective.
Sweden is the first country to officially address the demandside
Governance and policy are essential to promote diverse social change in terms of demand. This requires new, efficient, feasible and equitable projects that will meet both objectives of reducing as a society and giving people a dignified life. In addition, public awareness and commitment are needed to ensure that those policies are adopted and implemented effectively. Recently, Swedish political parties agreed to an agreement to include carbon-based carbon dioxide in the national climate policy, making it the first country to officially address emissions.
It is not difficult to conclude that implementing such a policy would be extremely challenging in lands with very different political conditions or when people are less concerned about climate issues. Much work remains to be done to overcome all potential obstacles. Demand side solutions are not silver coins for climate problem. Climate action requires systematic change from both sides of supply and demand. At the same time, co-operation between researchers, policy experts and the general public is needed worldwide. Speed ​​and importance on the transition side are no doubt challenging, but it is a process that we cannot prevent or overcome.
A recent IPCC report highlights the importance of solutions that address the need for mitigation strategies. Understanding the motivation and power of these solutions is important, and can help promote inclusive and practical action in this critical decade. The AR6 WG III report, for the first time, covers a separate and comprehensive chapter on ‘Demand, services and social factors for reduction and 0.5% of the richest families make up 13.6% of global lifestyle-related items, demonstrating the potential for demand-side to reduce gas emissions by changing lifestyle. The report summarizes that such changes will require measures at various levels, including individual, cultural, corporate, institutional and infrastructure and Sweden becomes the first country to officially address marginalization. Governance and policy are designed to be important in order to promote diversified social change.
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