Environmental Internship Program - 2023 Booklet

Nicholas Lim ’24
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AND INTERNATIONAL
AFFAIRS
PROJECT TITLE
Social Norm Dynamics
and Behavior and
Organizational Change
Toward Net-Zero Carbon
Emissions
ORGANIZATION(S)
Behavioral Science for
Policy Lab, Princeton
University
LOCATION(S)
Princeton, New Jersey
MENTOR(S)
Elke Weber,
Gerhard R. Andlinger
Professor in Energy and
the Environment,
Professor of Psychology
and the School of Public
and International Affairs;
Jordana Composto, Ph.D.
candidate, Psychology
My project aimed to identify behavioral barriers
to decarbonization in the United States and
Europe. I investigated the integration of lowcarbon
technology. The project’s foundation
is a survey given to various stakeholders in
the net-zero transition. I identified areas
where progress was lacking and supplemented
this with information on how polarization
has impacted the integration of low-carbon
technology. The data illustrated that there
has been some progress — perceived levels
of investment are high, as is prioritization of
implementing low-carbon technology. However,
the data indicated that levels of sharing of
intellectual property is comparatively low, and
levels of sharing of technological information
were lower in polarized countries. Through
this project, I gained experience with the
program R, and how to analyze and present
data. I enjoyed the opportunity to combine my
passion for sustainability with my academic
interest in polarization and I now have a
greater understanding of the harmful effects of
polarization in society. This research illustrates
the importance of sharing information and
intellectual property in the net-zero transition.
INNOVATION AND A
NEW ENERGY FUTURE
77