Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 048001 |
| Journal | Environmental research letters |
| Volume | 13 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2018 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
Wynes and Nicholas (2017) argue that the most effective action to reduce individual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is to have one fewer child. We raise methodological concerns about the way in which the authors attribute responsibility for emissions: they rely on multiple counting when calculating the emissions of future generations, and they exclude scenarios in which global emission trajectories become net-zero or negative. This may distort recommendations from policy makers and educators who rely on their study. We propose an alternative way of attributing responsibility that avoids multiple counting. Investigating the implications of having children under this proposal with regards to the full range of different scenarios, including likelihood analyses, calls for further studies.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Energy(all)
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Environmental Science(all)
- General Environmental Science
- Medicine(all)
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Environmental research letters, Vol. 13, No. 4, 048001, 04.2018.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment/debate › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Comment on 'The climate mitigation gap
T2 - Education and government recommendations miss the most effective individual actions'
AU - Van Basshuysen, Philippe
AU - Brandstedt, Eric
N1 - Funding Information: We thank Luc Bovens, Chris Marshall, Ylwa Sjölin Wirling, two anonymous referees and a member of the editorial board for helpful comments provided on earlier versions of the article. Eric Brandstedt’s work on this article was supported by the Swedish Research Council under grant number 437-2014-6692.
PY - 2018/4
Y1 - 2018/4
N2 - Wynes and Nicholas (2017) argue that the most effective action to reduce individual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is to have one fewer child. We raise methodological concerns about the way in which the authors attribute responsibility for emissions: they rely on multiple counting when calculating the emissions of future generations, and they exclude scenarios in which global emission trajectories become net-zero or negative. This may distort recommendations from policy makers and educators who rely on their study. We propose an alternative way of attributing responsibility that avoids multiple counting. Investigating the implications of having children under this proposal with regards to the full range of different scenarios, including likelihood analyses, calls for further studies.
AB - Wynes and Nicholas (2017) argue that the most effective action to reduce individual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is to have one fewer child. We raise methodological concerns about the way in which the authors attribute responsibility for emissions: they rely on multiple counting when calculating the emissions of future generations, and they exclude scenarios in which global emission trajectories become net-zero or negative. This may distort recommendations from policy makers and educators who rely on their study. We propose an alternative way of attributing responsibility that avoids multiple counting. Investigating the implications of having children under this proposal with regards to the full range of different scenarios, including likelihood analyses, calls for further studies.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85047299267&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1088/1748-9326/aab213
DO - 10.1088/1748-9326/aab213
M3 - Comment/debate
AN - SCOPUS:85047299267
VL - 13
JO - Environmental research letters
JF - Environmental research letters
SN - 1748-9318
IS - 4
M1 - 048001
ER -