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Updated: Mar 28, 2026
12:44
Watershed Planning within a Quantitative Scenario Analysis Framework
Published on: July 24, 2016
8.8K
Using decision pathway surveys to inform climate engineering policy choices.
Robin Gregory1, Terre Satterfield2, Ariel Hasell3
1Decision Research, Eugene, OR 97401; robin.gregory@ires.ubc.ca.
Summary
New decision pathway surveys capture public attitudes on climate change mitigation technologies. These surveys reveal conditional public support for interventions like solar radiation management and carbon dioxide removal.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Climate Change Mitigation
- Public Opinion Research
Background:
- Public engagement is crucial for climate change initiatives.
- Traditional surveys often oversimplify complex value trade-offs in climate policy.
- Deliberative research offers deeper insights but lacks large-scale reach.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and evaluate decision pathway surveys as a novel method for public input on climate change mitigation.
- To capture the depth of small-group deliberations within large-sample surveys.
- To understand public attitudes towards novel climate interventions, including ethical considerations.
Main Methods:
- Development and application of decision pathway surveys.
- Integration of deliberative research principles into survey methodology.
- Analysis of public responses to technological and behavioral climate initiatives.
Main Results:
- Decision pathway surveys effectively combine qualitative depth with quantitative reach.
- Public support for "upstream" climate interventions is often conditional and context-specific.
- Participants demonstrated enhanced knowledge and value clarity regarding policy alternatives.
Conclusions:
- Decision pathway surveys offer a valuable tool for policymakers seeking informed public input.
- Understanding the conditional nature of public support is key for implementing climate solutions.
- This method can improve engagement with complex climate mitigation strategies like solar radiation management and carbon dioxide removal.
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