Johnson & Staffell (2026): Democratizing climate change mitigation pathways using modernized stabilization wedges
Nathan Johnson and Iain Staffell, IN: Science, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adr2118
Mitigating climate change is arguably society’s greatest challenge. Deep-decarbonization pathways envision radical transformations in how we produce and consume energy, goods, and services. Integrated assessment models have produced thousands of cost-optimal pathways, underpinned by millions of assumptions. Enacting any pathway requires broad societal buy-in; however, the barriers to producing and interpreting these pathways exclude most people from the conversation, sidelining societal preferences and debate. In this work, the authors complement these models with a simple, inclusive framework for comparing diverse mitigation strategies and constructing decarbonization pathways that reflect personal priorities and values.