Universität zu Köln

Winkelmann, Ricarda, Donges, Jonathan F., Smith, E. Keith, Milkoreit, Manjana, Eder, Christina, Heitzig, Jobst, Katsanidou, Alexia ORCID: 0000-0001-5187-5171, Wiedermann, Marc, Wunderling, Nico and Lenton, Timothy M. (2022). Social tipping processes towards climate action: A conceptual framework. Ecol. Econ., 192. AMSTERDAM: ELSEVIER. ISSN 1873-6106

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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. Drawing from expert insights and comprehensive literature review, we develop a framework to identify and characterize social tipping processes critical to facilitating rapid social transformations. We find that social tipping processes are distinguishable from those of already more widely studied climate and ecological tipping dynamics. In particular, we identify human agency, social-institutional network structures, different spatial and temporal scales and increased complexity as key distinctive features underlying social tipping processes. Building on these characteristics, we propose a formal definition for social tipping processes and filtering criteria for those processes that could be decisive for future trajectories towards climate action. We illustrate this definition with the European political system as an example of potential social tipping processes, highlighting the prospective role of the FridaysForFuture movement. Accordingly, this conceptual framework for social tipping processes can be utilized to illuminate mechanisms for necessary transformative climate change mitigation policies and actions.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Winkelmann, Ricarda UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Donges, Jonathan F. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Smith, E. Keith UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Milkoreit, Manjana UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Eder, Christina UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Heitzig, Jobst UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Katsanidou, Alexia UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0001-5187-5171 UNSPECIFIED Wiedermann, Marc UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Wunderling, Nico UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Lenton, Timothy M. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-600338
DOI:	10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.107242
Journal or Publication Title:	Ecol. Econ.
Volume:	192
Date:	2022
Publisher:	ELSEVIER
Place of Publication:	AMSTERDAM
ISSN:	1873-6106
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language REGIME SHIFTS; ICE-SHEET; HISTORICAL INSTITUTIONALISM; MULTILEVEL PERSPECTIVE; PARIS AGREEMENT; EARTHS CLIMATE; POLICY; COMPLEX; POINTS; EVOLUTION Multiple languages Ecology; Economics; Environmental Sciences; Environmental Studies Multiple languages
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/60033