Your privacy, your choice

We use essential cookies to make sure the site can function. We also use optional cookies for advertising, personalisation of content, usage analysis, and social media, as well as to allow video information to be shared for both marketing, analytics and editorial purposes.

By accepting optional cookies, you consent to the processing of your personal data - including transfers to third parties. Some third parties are outside of the European Economic Area, with varying standards of data protection.

See our privacy policy for more information on the use of your personal data.

for further information and to change your choices.
Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Comment
  • Published:

Climate change: Embed the social sciences in climate policy

Nature volume 520, pages 27–29 (2015) Cite this article

Save article
View saved research

David G. Victor calls for the IPCC process to be extended to include insights into controversial social and behavioural issues.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to the full article PDF.

￥ 4,980

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. IPCC. Future Work of the IPCC: Chairman's Vision Paper on the Future of the IPCC (IPCC, 2015).

  2. IPCC. Future Work of the IPCC: Consideration of the Recommendations by the Task Group on Future Work of the IPCC (IPCC, 2015).

  3. Committee to Review the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Climate Change Assessments: Review of the Processes and Procedures of the IPCC (InterAcademy Council, 2010).

  4. Victor, D. G., Gerlagh, R. & Baiocchi, G. Science 345, 34–36 (2014).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Hulme, M. et al. Nature 463, 730–732 (2010).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. IPCC. Summary for Policymakers in Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change. Contribution of Working Group III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (eds Edenhofer, O. et al.) (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2014).

  7. Hafner-Burton, E. M., Victor, D. G. & Lupu, Y. Am. J. Intl Law 106, 47–97 (2012).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Keohane, R. O. PS: Political Sci. & Politics 48, 19–26 (2015).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Hulme, M. Why We Disagree About Climate Change: Understanding Controversy, Inaction and Opportunity (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2009).

  10. Victor, D. G. & Kennel C. F. Nature 514, 30–31 (2014).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. David Victor is professor of international relations and director of the Laboratory on International Law and Regulation, University of California, San Diego, USA. He is also chairman of the Global Agenda Council on Governance for Sustainability at the World Economic Forum.,

    David Victor

Authors
  1. David Victor
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to David Victor.

Supplementary Information

LISTEN (download MP3 )

David Victor to discusses the factors that are missing from climate research.

Related links

Related links

Related links in Nature Research

Global change: Put people at the centre of global risk management 2015-Mar-11

Human adaptation: Manage climate-induced resettlement 2015-Jan-14

Air pollution: Clean up our skies 2014-Nov-19

Climate policy: Ditch the 2 °C warming goal 2014-Oct-01

Climate policy: Rethink IPCC reports 2014-Sep-10

Earth systems: Model human adaptation to climate change 2014-Aug-27

Diversity: Energy studies need social science 2014-Jul-30

Global warming: Improve economic models of climate change 2014-Apr-04

Climate policy: Streamline IPCC reports 2014-Apr-04

Nature special: Outlook for Earth

Related external links

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

UN Climate Change Newsroom

American Sociological Association

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Victor, D. Climate change: Embed the social sciences in climate policy. Nature 520, 27–29 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/520027a

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/520027a

Subjects

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing