Expectations about the future removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere have mobilized projects which seek to demonstrate carbon removal methods, at various stages of development. Public perceptions play a critical role in demonstrations and funders widely require demonstration projects to identify and consult affected groups and communities. This review examines the extant research on perceptions of carbon removal, analyzing how studies have conceptualized the public and the role perceptions play in field trials and experiments of carbon removal methods. The paper develops a novel analytical framework distinguishing between “procedural” and “performative” approaches to demonstrations. Attending to performativity, we suggest, makes clear why demonstration projects often surface conflicting expectations about future technology development. We apply the analytical framework to the academic literature on perceptions of carbon removal using a systematic search and interpretive review. We find that much perceptions research on carbon removal adopts elements from linear models of innovation, foregrounding the problem of social acceptance and distancing the public from experimental presentations and displays. We situate these findings in a discussion of the roles that expectations about carbon removal play in demonstrations and the positioning of perceptions research as a tool for managing “opposition” from external audiences. Moving beyond instrumental approaches to public perception, the review makes the case for closer engagement in perceptions research with conflicting expectations that emerge around projects demonstrating the “promise” of carbon removal.

中文翻译：

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碳减排示范及公众认知问题

对未来从大气中去除二氧化碳的期望已经动员了一些项目，这些项目试图在不同的发展阶段展示碳去除方法。公众的看法在示威活动中发挥着至关重要的作用，资助者广泛要求示范项目确定并咨询受影响的群体和社区。本综述考察了现有的关于碳去除认知的研究，分析了研究如何概念化公众以及认知在碳去除方法的现场试验和实验中所发挥的作用。本文开发了一种新颖的分析框架，区分“程序性”和“表演性”的演示方法。我们建议，关注表现性可以清楚地说明为什么示范项目经常会出现对未来技术发展的相互冲突的期望。我们通过系统搜索和解释性审查，将分析框架应用于有关碳去除认知的学术文献。我们发现，许多关于碳去除的认知研究都采用了创新线性模型中的元素，突出了社会接受度的问题，并使公众远离实验演示和展示。我们将这些发现置于对碳去除期望在示范中所发挥的作用的讨论中，以及将认知研究定位为管理外部受众“反对”的工具。该审查超越了公众认知的工具性方法，还提出了更密切地参与认知研究的理由，以及围绕展示碳清除“承诺”的项目出现的相互冲突的期望。