TY - JOUR
T1 - Social tipping points and Earth systems dynamics
AU - Bentley, R. A.
AU - Maddison, Eleanor J.
AU - Ranner, P. H.
AU - Bissell, John
AU - Caiado, Camila C. S.
AU - Bhatanacharoen, Pojanath
AU - Clark, Timothy
AU - Botha, Marc
AU - Akinbami, Folarin
AU - Hollow, Matthew
AU - Michie, Ranald
AU - Huntley, Brian
AU - Curtis, Sarah E.
AU - Garnett, Philip
PY - 2014/8/19
Y1 - 2014/8/19
N2 - Recently, Early Warning Signals (EWS) have been developed to predict tipping points in Earth Systems. This discussion highlights the potential to apply EWS to human social and economic systems, which may also undergo similar critical transitions. Social tipping points are particularly difficult to predict, however, and the current formulation of EWS, based on a physical system analogy, may be insufficient. As an alternative set of EWS for social systems, we join with other authors encouraging a focus on heterogeneity, connectivity through social networks and individual thresholds to change.
AB - Recently, Early Warning Signals (EWS) have been developed to predict tipping points in Earth Systems. This discussion highlights the potential to apply EWS to human social and economic systems, which may also undergo similar critical transitions. Social tipping points are particularly difficult to predict, however, and the current formulation of EWS, based on a physical system analogy, may be insufficient. As an alternative set of EWS for social systems, we join with other authors encouraging a focus on heterogeneity, connectivity through social networks and individual thresholds to change.
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2014.00035
U2 - 10.3389/fenvs.2014.00035
DO - 10.3389/fenvs.2014.00035
M3 - Article
SN - 2296-665X
VL - 2
JO - Frontiers in Environmental Science
JF - Frontiers in Environmental Science
ER -