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A decision science approach for integrating social science in climate and energy solutions

Nature Climate Change volume 6, pages 563–569 (2016)Cite this article

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Abstract

The social and behavioural sciences are critical for informing climate- and energy-related policies. We describe a decision science approach to applying those sciences. It has three stages: formal analysis of decisions, characterizing how well-informed actors should view them; descriptive research, examining how people actually behave in such circumstances; and interventions, informed by formal analysis and descriptive research, designed to create attractive options and help decision-makers choose among them. Each stage requires collaboration with technical experts (for example, climate scientists, geologists, power systems engineers and regulatory analysts), as well as continuing engagement with decision-makers. We illustrate the approach with examples from our own research in three domains related to mitigating climate change or adapting to its effects: preparing for sea-level rise, adopting smart grid technologies in homes, and investing in energy efficiency for office buildings. The decision science approach can facilitate creating climate- and energy-related policies that are behaviourally informed, realistic and respectful of the people whom they seek to aid.

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Figure 1: Climate Central's Surging Seas Risk Finder for New York City.
Figure 2: Risk-of-bias assessment for 32 studies of in-home displays, dynamic pricing and home automation systems.
Figure 3: A screenshot showing simulated appliances with specific feedback.

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Acknowledgements

The research reported here and preparation of this manuscript were supported by the National Science Foundation to the Center for Climate and Energy Decision Making (SES-0949710), the Department of Energy (DE-OE0000300, DE-OE0000204), Skoll Global Threats Fund, the Carnegie Electricity Industry Center, Richard King Mellon Foundation, and Rockefeller Foundation. D.S. was supported by FONDECYT 11140374, the Complex Engineering Systems Institute (ICM: P-05-004-F, CONICYT: FB016) and the Business Intelligence Research Center (CEINE) of the University of Chile. The views expressed are those of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, 15213, Pennsylvania, USA

    Gabrielle Wong-Parodi, Tamar Krishnamurti, Alex Davis & Baruch Fischhoff

  2. Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Chile, Santiago, 8370439, Chile

    Daniel Schwartz

  3. Department of Social and Decision Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, 15213, Pennsylvania, USA

    Baruch Fischhoff

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  1. Gabrielle Wong-Parodi
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Correspondence to Gabrielle Wong-Parodi.

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Wong-Parodi, G., Krishnamurti, T., Davis, A. et al. A decision science approach for integrating social science in climate and energy solutions. Nature Clim Change 6, 563–569 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2917

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