Table 1 Practical example responses to sustainable transitions

This table conveys a practical, but simplistic, example of the concepts introduced in this article. By drawing from contemporary knowledge about natural gas cooking, we illustrate pragmatic and real-world applications for the terms: uncomfortable knowledge, systemic ignorance, and clumsy solutions

Uncomfortable knowledge: Natural gas cooking leads to poor human health outcomes and is environmentally damaging.

Potential Responses

Examples of ‘systemic ignorance’ (maladaptive responses): Despite there being some evidence [20,21,22] that natural gas cooking can cause human health risk [21], there is a societal response to do nothing. Governments engage in inaction in the face of this uncomfortable knowledge, and individual citizens choose to continue to purchase and install gas cooking despite mounting evidence and the potential risk. This is influenced by government and individuals’ confirmation bias (e.g. “I don’t know of anyone who has gotten ill from gas cooking”); or from demanding precise evidence linking gas cooking with human health and planetary health ailments (such as randomised control trials as suggested by Balmes et al. in 2023) [23] before steps will be taken to address this (e.g. “Show me the direct link between gas cooking and climate change.”). The complexity between the relationships of natural gas, human health, and sustainability means that each of these responses could seem ‘reasonable’ given the current data

Examples of ‘clumsy solutions’ (adaptive responses): Governments decide to take the next best step with the current information, by banning installation of gas cooking or heating into new house builds. Governments and researchers work with gas companies and restaurants to identify a way to diversify financial interests to reduce sector impact of the ban, developing policies to support this. There are educational initiatives to help consumers understand the appeal of induction and electric cooking. Government agencies work to support sustainability in sourcing the electric energy. As more data comes in about the relationship between cooking and human and planetary health, the actions to address the challenge adapt and change