The power of positive stories in addressing climate change

Stories with positive role models and which focus on the positive outcomes of solutions are much more likely to inspire action to solve it, says Denise Baden, Associate Professor in Business Ethics at the University of Southampton. She explains in an article on The Conversation website. Environmental storytelling can help spread big ideas for … Continue reading The power of positive stories in addressing climate change →

In advance of publication from UN climate science panel, one expert raises concerns about public apathy

Leo Barasi, author of The Climate Majority: Apathy and Action in an Age of Nationalism, published by New Internationalist, writes in the Guardian about the effect of public apathy concerning climate change. As he writes: “Persuading people to cut down on things they enjoy for the sake of the climate might seem impossible.” However, we … Continue reading In advance of publication from UN climate science panel, one expert raises concerns about public apathy →

New Irish report shows that people can be nudged into doing their bit to save the planet

This summer Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI) published a report by its Behavioural Economics Unit entitled Changing energy behaviour – what works? It is a good question to explore. Conor Pope writes an article in the Irish Times about it. ‘A lot of people genuinely care about the environment’ Most people, when asked if they … Continue reading New Irish report shows that people can be nudged into doing their bit to save the planet →

Events past and future

This week there are a couple of upcoming events that you should note. EiD would also like to hear from you about past events. For example the International Energy Policy and Programme Evaluation Conference was recently held in Vienna. It would be good to have the reflections on the conference from some attendees. The same … Continue reading Events past and future →

Using cultural analysis to explain the dynamics in our energy systems

Decision-making is not easy but we often start from a bias one way or another. Dave Toke, Reader in Energy Policy at the University of Aberdeen, provides a very thoughtful article on The Conversation website about the importance of our biases in the various technologies we tend to support in our energy system. What are … Continue reading Using cultural analysis to explain the dynamics in our energy systems →

Interesting lifestyle changes in US leading to energy savings

It is always good to monitor changes in consumer behaviour. Ashok Sekar, Postdoctoral Fellow, at the Energy Systems Transformation (EST) Research Group of the University of Texas at Austin and Eric Williams, Associate Professor of Sustainability at the Rochester Institute of Technology write an interesting article on The Conversation website about the energy impacts from … Continue reading Interesting lifestyle changes in US leading to energy savings →

Effect of telling stories about climate change on changing behaviour

The types of stories that are told can have a positive impact on behaviour. Two academics, Tom van Laer from the University of London and Ross Gordon from Macquarie University provide a good article on their related research work on The Conversation website. Concerning story telling, EiD would also recommend you go to the IEA … Continue reading Effect of telling stories about climate change on changing behaviour →

Ignoring climate change seen as more risky than proposing solutions

Bruce Anderson writes on the Abacus website about a recent survey taken of Canadians on their attitudes to climate change. You will find that this is one of the most comprehensive reports that EiD has published and hopefully we will find similar surveys from other countries. Importantly, for Canadian politicians, it’s riskier to ignore climate … Continue reading Ignoring climate change seen as more risky than proposing solutions →

Will this cluster of disasters provide the lever that leads to action on climate change in the US?

There is more and more evidence about the impact of climate change. But Scott Gabriel Knowles, Professor of History at Drexel University argues in an article on The Conversation website that the recent hurricanes to hit the US and elsewhere will do little to change our approach in the short term. He ends on an … Continue reading Will this cluster of disasters provide the lever that leads to action on climate change in the US? →

“Great uncertainty is how much carbon pollution humans are going to choose to pump into the air”

We have often posted articles relating to climate change and behaviour. Justin Gillis provides a good article in the New York Times that you should enjoy. What are your views? The Real Unknown of Climate Change: Our Behavior As Hurricane Harvey bore down on the Texas coast, few people in that state seemed to … Continue reading “Great uncertainty is how much carbon pollution humans are going to choose to pump into the air” →