Cultural narratives, economic power, and historical precedents shape public acceptance of climate technologies
Original framing: “Perceived naturalness emerges as key driver of public support for climate technology” — Phys.org
Indigenous knowledge systems view "natural" as a dynamic partnership, where technologies are judged by their capacity to sustain relational cycles rather than mimic pre‑industrial states. Incorporating this perspective reframes acceptance criteria toward stewardship outcomes, challenging the binary natural‑vs‑unnatural framing. This lens also highlights historical dispossession linked to techno‑colonial projects, revealing deeper power asymmetries.
The preference for "natural" climate technologies is not a simple cognitive bias but a symptom of deeper cultural, economic, and political structures that privilege profit and technocratic narratives over relational stewardship.
Historical precedents show that acceptance can be engineered through regulatory capture and media framing, while Indigenous and cross‑cultural perspectives offer alternative metrics rooted in reciprocity and communal well‑being. By integrating Indigenous co‑design, relational economic incentives, culturally resonant education, and transparent governance, societies can transform the naturalness heuristic from a barrier into a lever for equitable, systemic climate action. This multidimensional strategy requires coordinated action from governments, corporations, academic institutions, and grassroots movements, drawing on historical lessons and future scenario modelling to ensure just and resilient outcomes.