Thread by @efesce

Thread.

New paper out in @NatureEnergyJnl, led be @kristiansn89, on the role of people with money and connections for reducing GHG emissions.

Free access: rdcu.be/cyG3o

People with high SES not only have excessive carbon footprints through consumption, but they also have disproportionate power through their roles as investors, role models, participants in organizations, and citizens.

Through these five roles, they can help shape the choices available to themselves and others, providing options that either exacerbate or mitigate climate change. Currently, they are mostly used to exacerbate emissions, but this can and should change.

The role of individuals as consumers is consistently raised in media, but this focus is misleading. It's in parts a gaslighting strategy.

theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

As citizens, people of high SES have the networks to help them organize social movements and to better access politicians and decision-makers. Their financial resources also facilitate influence: making donations helps smooth the path to advancing social change.

When residing in powerful positions in organizations, they can push for policies, activities, norms, and investments that promote climate mitigation instead of favoring the status quo. Positive changes here could also influence the footprints of other organizations and people.

As role models, they can make more climate-friendly choices that influence others – for example driving electric cars, refraining from flying, or being vegan. Social influence increases with status, but we can influence those around us through our words and our actions.

Finally, yes, they are also consumers. Transport GHG emissions dominate among the well-off. Here, less flying, yachting, less cars are all valuable contributions. Governments can support this by taxing positional goods.