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Fossil fuels are on the way out, but slowly. Their exit has massive ramifications for many sectors and is causing ripples in both politics and society.
This Nature Outlook is editorially independent. It is produced with third party financial support. About this content.
Community power projects in Denmark and Germany have inspired politicians worldwide but have failed to translate to other countries. Sometimes the first step is to let people say no.
Energy future scenarios are used in policy decision-making but little is known about how they influence public preferences. This study shows that engaging with an interactive scenario-building tool strengthens existing preferences, but exemplar scenarios provide reference points that anchor choices.
Households’ carbon footprints often differ with wealth and level of consumption. This study shows the urban rich disproportionally contribute to the Chinese carbon footprint, whilst overall household footprints are growing with increased consumerism.
Early-stage capital providers and clean energy technology incubators are supporting a new wave of innovations focused on end-use efficiency and demand control. This wave complements expanding investments in supply technologies required for electricity sector decarbonization.
Once a world leader in renewables, the nation will miss all of its environmental goals unless the next government realigns its energy policies, warns Claudia Kemfert.
Publically funded energy technology research is critical for a successful low–carbon energy transition, but future uncertainty means decision–making is difficult. This Review explores the role of expert elicitations, integrated assessment models and decision frameworks in informing energy technology policy.
How the global change science community is currently portraying the character and role of the social sciences and humanities is problematic, according to this Perspective. Measures needed to bring other visions and voices into the debate about global environmental change are identified.