Catalogue of rebound mechanisms represented in causal loop diagrams

This dataset includes the catalogue of 26 rebound mechanisms, i.e., structures leading to rebound effects (RE), based on qualitative system dynamics (SD) modelling using causal loop diagrams (CLD) identified in the literature.

It is the supplementary data to the paper "Towards a systemic view on rebound effects: Modelling the feedback loops of rebound mechanisms" published in the Ecological Economics journal.

This is the paper's abstract: Rebound Effects (RE) are systemic responses that are relentlessly hindering the achievement of the intended effects of sustainability actions. Despite the wide recognition of RE, the limited understanding of the underlying causal structures sustaining RE hampers the ability to anticipate, prevent, and tackle them. To explore how feedback thinking can explain the occurrence of RE, this paper describes the structure of 26 rebound mechanisms based on qualitative system dynamics (SD) modelling using causal loop diagrams (CLD). Apart from a comprehensive catalogue of mechanisms, the elicitation of two generic structures reveals that RE are either the result of (1) reinforcing loops acting against quick fixes to control local resource consumption or (2) balancing reactions in the opposite direction of attempts to control local resource consumption leading to escalation behaviour. Four contributions highlight how this research's results support a systemic view on RE, the natural evolutionary step required to understand and manage its occurrence.

This dataset/work is part of the REBOUNDLESS project.