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This paper systematically compares modeled rates of change provided by global integrated assessment models aiming for the 2 °C objective to historically observed rates of change. Such a comparison can provide insights into the difficulty of achieving such stringent climate stabilization scenarios. The analysis focuses specifically on the rates of change for technology expansion and diffusion, emissions and energy supply investments. The associated indicators vary in terms of system focus (technology-specific or energy system wide), temporal scale (timescale or lifetime), spatial scale (regional or global) and normalization (accounting for entire system growth or not). Although none of the indicators provide conclusive insights as to the achievability of scenarios, this study finds that indicators that look into absolute change remain within the range of historical growth frontiers for the next decade, but increase to unprecedented levels before mid-century. Indicators that take into account or normalize for overall system growth find future change to be broadly within historical ranges. This is particularly the case for monetary-based normalization metrics like GDP compared to energy-based normalization metrics like primary energy. By applying a diverse set of indicators alternative, complementary insights into how scenarios compare with historical observations are acquired but they do not provide further insights on the possibility of achieving rates of change that are beyond current day practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The question of whether and when behaviors that reduce overall consumption are associated with low status has not been adequately explored. Previous research suggests that some low cost environmentally-friendly behaviors are stigmatized, but has not accounted for the impact of contextual information on perceived status. Here, we use costly signaling theory to describe why consumption-reducing behaviors may be associated with low status and when and how this perception might change. We report two empirical studies in the U.S. that use a large sample of graduate students (N = 447) to examine the effects of contextual information on how consumption-reducing behaviors are perceived. We then explore the perceived appropriateness of consumption-reducing behavior for signaling status relative to alternative non-environmental behaviors. Using linear mixed-effects models, we find that information indicating that consumption-reducing behavior is a choice results in higher perceived status. However, we find that consumption-reducing behaviors are perceived to be less appropriate for conveying status than consumption-intensive behaviors. The environmental orientation of the respondent has little effect on perceptions of status in both studies. These results provide insights into the dynamic, evolutionary process by which sustainable consumption might become more socially acceptable and the social factors that may inhibit this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published research on smart homes and their users is growing exponentially, yet a clear understanding of who these users are and how they might use smart home technologies is missing from a field being overwhelmingly pushed by technology developers. Through a systematic analysis of peer-reviewed literature on smart homes and their users, this paper takes stock of the dominant research themes and the linkages and disconnects between them. Key findings within each of nine themes are analysed, grouped into three: (1) views of the smart home-functional, instrumental, socio-technical; (2) users and the use of the smart home-prospective users, interactions and decisions, using technologies in the home; and (3) challenges for realising the smart home-hardware and software, design, domestication. These themes are integrated into an organising framework for future research that identifies the presence or absence of cross-cutting relationships between different understandings of smart homes and their users. The usefulness of the organising framework is illustrated in relation to two major concerns-privacy and control-that have been narrowly interpreted to date, precluding deeper insights and potential solutions. Future research on smart homes and their users can benefit by exploring and developing cross-cutting relationships between the research themes identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated assessments of how climate policy interacts with energy-economy systems can be performed by a variety of models with different functional structures. In order to provide insights into why results differ between models, this article proposes a diagnostic scheme that can be applied to a wide range of models. Diagnostics can uncover patterns of model behavior and indicate how results differ between model types. Such insights are informative since model behavior can have a significant impact on projections of climate change mitigation costs and other policy-relevant information. The authors propose diagnostic indicators to characterize model responses to carbon price signals and test these in a diagnostic study of 11 global models. Indicators describe the magnitude of emission abatement and the associated costs relative to a harmonized baseline, the relative changes in carbon intensity and energy intensity, and the extent of transformation in the energy system. This study shows a correlation among indicators suggesting that models can be classified into groups based on common patterns of behavior in response to carbon pricing. Such a classification can help to explain variations among policy-relevant model results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper sets out the rationale and structure of a tool for assisting policy-makers and practitioners to understand behavioural challenges and open up thinking on the design of effective ‘behaviour change’ interventions. The ‘Four Dimensions of Behaviour’ (4DB) framework is based on the theoretical and empirical research in a range of policy domains including transport and pro-environmental behaviour more generally. The 4DB framework characterises multifaceted behaviours along dimensions of actor, domain, durability and scope. Its application in workshop or structured settings opens up diverse and non-exclusive discussion on designing interventions to match salient behavioural characteristics. The use of the 4DB framework in the transport domain is demonstrated for travel behaviours of interest to policy-makers using examples of buying plug-in vehicles (PiVs), commuting by bicycle, eco-driving and making business trips by train. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Countries' emission reduction commitments under the Paris Agreement have significant implications for lifestyles. National planning to meet emission targets is based on modelling and analysis specific to individual countries, whereas global integrated assessment models provide scenario projections in a consistent framework but with less granular output. We contribute a novel methodology for translating global scenarios into lifestyle implications at the national and household levels, which is generalisable to any service or country and versatile to work with any model or scenario. Our 5Ds method post-processes Integrated Assessment Model projections of sectoral energy demand for the global region to derive energy-service-specific lifestyle change at the household level. We illustrate the methodology for two energy services (mobility, heating) in two countries (UK, Sweden), showing how effort to reach zero carbon targets varies between countries and households. Our method creates an analytical bridge between global model output and information that can be used at national and local levels, making clear the lifestyle implications of climate targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 14-year-old previously healthy girl presented with atraumatic onset of low back and flank pain and mildly elevated inflammatory markers. Magnetic resonance imaging disclosed an L5 superior endplate fracture, and cultures grew methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus. We discuss the variable presentations and appropriate treatments of adolescent vertebral osteomyelitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital consumer innovations provide functionality to consumers through different impact mechanisms. These act indirectly on carbon emissions by shaping behaviour. Outcomes include energy/emissions mitigation or, growth through rebound effects, where energy savings are offset by increasing demand for energy. In this study we use meta-regression techniques to quantify the relative strength of different impact mechanisms on emissions for a diverse set of digital innovations. We use data from two key synthesis studies, providing 135 estimates of impact across 22 different digital consumer innovations. We measure impacts using different metrics including activity, energy use, or carbon emissions (CO2/CO2 eq). We refer to these as "emissions-related outcomes". We find strong evidence that impact mechanisms explain differences in emissions-related outcomes between digital consumer innovations. Digital consumer innovations that influence behaviour by technology 'substitution' e.g., food gamification apps, have a significantly larger impact (44% reduction) than those that 'coordinate' e.g., food pairing apps (17% reduction) or those that that improve 'control' e.g., smart home appliances (20% reduction). Estimates of impact included in energy studies are highly sensitive to boundary decisions and assumptions made by researchers, introducing further uncertainties into their magnitude and direction. When we control for variation in study design such as whether emissions-related outcomes data were collected using field experiments, or simulations we find that differences between impact mechanisms are amplified. A further key finding is that impact mechanisms explain more of the difference between-innovations than deployment context. Our novel approach of classifying innovations by the underlying causal mechanism through which they change user behaviour and so energy emissions adds a new dimension to methodological work on indirect impacts for which system boundary and variable definition are not fixed. Identifying causal mechanisms with the largest benefits for emissions reduction also guides policy, innovators, service providers, and digital users concerned with carbon footprint. • Meta-Analysis of the emissions-related impact of 22 digital consumer innovations across transport, food and homes. • Measurement of the emissions reduction potential of six digital impact mechanisms. • Contrast with reduction potential of other confounding factors, including type of action (Avoid-Shift-Improve). • Statistical approach controls for the impact of study design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel consumer goods and services in mobility, food, homes and energy domains are needed to help mitigate climate change. Appealing attributes of low carbon innovations accelerate their diffusion out of early-adopting segments into the mass market [1,2] bib1. In this paper we synthesise insights on the attributes of low carbon consumer innovations across multiple domains. Using a directed literature review and content analysis, guided by Levitt's hierarchical ring model which distinguishes core from non-core attributes, we identified over 170 relevant studies across mobility, food, homes and energy domains. We extracted a set of 16 attributes generalisable to low carbon innovations across multiple domains of consumption, with the exception of energy innovations which appeal on a reduced set of attributes. Using multi-dimensional scaling techniques we found the appeal of non-core attributes varies between domains but core attributes are consistent across domains in line with Levitt's theory. As examples, low-carbon consumer innovations within mobility and food domains share non-core attributes related to improved private and public health, whereas innovations within food and home domains share non-core attributes related to technology acceptance and usability. We develop these findings to argue that many low carbon consumer innovations are currently positioned to appeal to a distinctive but limited group of early adopters who value novelty and climate benefits. To achieve mass market diffusion, product and service development, policy interventions, and communication strategies should focus on enhancing a wider set of attributes to broaden consumer appeal. • Directed review distinguishes between core and non-core attributes for low carbon innovations. • Low carbon innovations across different domains share core attributes. • Innovations within mobility and homes domains cluster against distinctive non-core attributes. • Low carbon innovations in the energy domain have limited appeal across all attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]