The State of Experimental Research on Community Interventions to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions—A Systematic Review

Anthony Biglan, Andrew C. Bonner, Magnus Johansson, Jessica L. Ghai, Mark J. Van Ryzin, Tiffany L. Dubuc, Holly A. Seniuk, Julia H. Fiebig and Lisa W. Coyne
Additional contact information
Anthony Biglan: Oregon Research Institute, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
Andrew C. Bonner: Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32601, USA
Magnus Johansson: Department of Behavioural Science, Oslo Metropolitan University, NO-0130 Oslo, Norway
Jessica L. Ghai: Wheelock College of Education and Human Development, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
Mark J. Van Ryzin: Oregon Research Institute, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
Tiffany L. Dubuc: Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA
Holly A. Seniuk: Behavior Analyst Certification Board ® , Littleton, CO 80127, USA
Julia H. Fiebig: Department of Special Education, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306, USA
Lisa W. Coyne: Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 18, 1-19

Abstract: This paper reviews research on community efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We conducted a systematic search of the relevant literature, and supplemented our findings with an analysis of review papers previously published on the topic. The results indicate that there have been no peer-reviewed experimental evaluations of community-wide interventions to reduce greenhouse gases involving electricity, refrigeration, or food. The lack of findings limits the conclusions which can be made about the efficacy of these efforts. As a result, we are not accumulating effective interventions, and some communities may be implementing strategies that are not effective. We advocate for the funding of experimental evaluations of multi-sector community interventions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Such interventions would attempt to engage every sector of the community in identifying and implementing policies and practices to reduce emissions. Comprehensive multi-sector interventions are likely to have synergistic effects, such that the total impact is greater than the sum of the impact of the individual components. We describe the value of interrupted time-series designs as an alternative to randomized trials, because these designs confer particular advantages for the evaluation of strategies in entire communities.

Keywords: systematic review; community intervention; greenhouse gas emissions; climate change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:18:p:7593-:d:413777

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