Given the growth of radical climate narratives and awareness amongst the younger generations across the world, I think that a strong SIP could involve a social tipping point (with the potential to act as a greater catalyst as this generation progresses upwards demographically). The carbon intensive nature of contemporary life is something not inherent but learned, and I think that whilst consumerism might be ingrained from birth, the ability of individuals to begin accruing their own assets really only begins (at least in relatively privileged Western society) when students leave university and start earning. I think intervention at this stage could be really beneficial, as increasing awareness to alternative modes of consumption (subsidizing public transport, offering more sustainable homes, encouraging offsetting and pro environmental behavior alongside calling for more stringent environmental regulation of business and questioning patterns of consumption) could provide a turning point (whether rapid, like Schillings, or more gradual, like Gladwell) for societal consumption as a whole. Climate interest is at a peak in the issue-attention-cycle, why not capitalize on this interest to really produce a social intervention with deeper meaning?
Actor(s)
General public
Trigger (intervention)
Criticality
Feedback Dynamics
Timescale and scaleability
Resistance
Author
Nuala Burnett