Societal transformations in the face of climate change; research priorities for the next decade

Abstract

Climate change creates new challenges for the global society. Responding to climate change is a complex process of societal transformations that should be studied as such. The contribution of the social sciences is crucial to the understanding of these processes of change. The growing body of knowledge on the physics of climate change, its causes and consequences is not matched by an equivalent understanding of the societal challenges it poses. The Joint Programming Initiative on ‘Connecting Climate Knowledge for Europe’ (JPI Climate) identifies key topics for future social science research.