Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 7, 2026

Monitoring Pedogenic Inorganic Carbon Accumulation Due to Weathering of Amended Silicate Minerals in Agricultural Soils.
Published on: June 4, 2021
Democratizing climate change mitigation pathways using modernized stabilization wedges
Nathan Johnson1, Iain Staffell1
1Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Abstract:
Mitigating climate change requires broad societal buy-in. Integrated assessment models (IAMs) produce cost-optimal pathways, but these are complex and not easily customized to reflect individuals' preferences. Twenty years ago, the stabilization wedge framework introduced a simpler way to discuss decarbonization. Here, we modernized this framework, identifying 36 strategies, each with the potential to mitigate 4% of global emissions by 2050, and quantified their required scale of deployment. People can build personalized decarbonization pathways by choosing a portfolio of these strategies, with more than 6 trillion combinations that are able to limit global warming to 1.5°C. We assessed which strategies IAMs favor and found that they prioritize technological over behavioral and nature-based solutions, with limited agreement. This framework empowers a general audience to construct and debate pathways, by making informed choices that reflect objectives beyond cost-optimization.
Related Concept Videos
Global Climate Change
Wedges
Consider using a wedge to lift a heavy slab. Here, the wedge functions by converting the applied force into a much larger force directed almost perpendicular to the initial force. This...
Design Example: Sustainability in Concrete Building
There are multiple approaches to achieve sustainability in a commercial concrete building. For instance, construct a concrete parking area under the building, utilizing pervious concrete paver blocks in open areas to facilitate rainwater collection through an underground...
Design Example: Maintaining Level of an Embankment
Sustainable Development
Design Example: Managing Concrete Workability

