Understanding and promoting social transformations to address climate change

While there is now strong international momentum on action to tackle climate change, in order to avoid further widespread impacts there is a need for more fundamental transformations across all parts of society. Progress in reducing the UK’s emissions has largely been restricted to improving energy efficiency and decarbonising energy production, while there has been much less traction in other areas – particularly where this concerns changes to lifestyles, behaviours and social practices. In this talk I will outline the approach being taken by the new Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations, that asks how we can live differently – and better – in ways that meet the need for rapid and far-reaching emission reductions. Illustrative projects will be presented for further discussion, including those that seek to understand the views of members of the public about desirable and acceptable visions of low-carbon futures, and attempts to bring about change in real-world settings. I will also draw on work that critiques the methods and assumptions of Psychology and the behavioural sciences, offering some suggestions for a more productive way forward.