Enabling green choices for net zero
19 Feb 2024 10:12 PM
This POSTnote summarises the challenges and options for enabling and encouraging of low-carbon actions by individuals in sectors with the highest emissions.
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To achieve the 60% reduction in consumer emissions the CCC has stated is needed to meet Net Zero targets, research studies suggest a systems-wide approach is required. This would involve the public and private sector providing the environment and infrastructure that enable individuals to make low carbon choices more easily, while ensuring they have the relevant information to make their decisions.
In the UK Government’s Powering Up Britain: Net Zero Growth Plan, low carbon choices are referred to as ‘green choices’, and described as the public and businesses choosing green products, services, and goods. The plan sets out six principles regarding policies to facilitate green choices. Both the CCC and the House of Lords have recommended that government strategies should incorporate greater societal– and behavioural–change policies and guidance.
Commentators debate the extent to which individuals should be responsible for making green choices as opposed to the regulatory or physical environment not letting them, highlight the need for different actions based on the context and the and the different ways individuals act as consumers, citizens, and within organisations and groups. Health, time, comfort and status can strongly influence individuals’ decisions while finance and regulation are typically stronger motivations for organisations.
Commentators agree that enabling green choices in three high emission sectors would provide progress towards net zero targets, including transport, buildings and consumption of goods and services.
Key points
- Reaching net zero targets will require the enabling and encouraging of low-carbon actions by individuals, businesses, and the public sector, also called ‘green choices’.
- Addressing the sectors with the highest emissions (transport, built environment, and consumption of products, services and goods) first would likely provide the greatest greenhouse gas reductions. Engagement in green choices may spill over from these into other sectors.
- Governments, businesses, and organisations can minimise the effort or cost to individuals of taking green choices by adapting physical and regulatory environments.
- Stakeholders and researchers have identified several approaches that may encourage green choices by the public, including:
- clear and consistent policy direction from governments
- the use of trusted voices to communicate messages
- using different forms of public engagement with different groups of citizens
- having long-term and tailored strategies
- making green choices more accessible, affordable, attractive, and easy
Acknowledgements
POSTnotes are based on literature reviews and interviews with a range of stakeholders and are externally peer reviewed. POST would like to thank interviewees and peer reviewers for kindly giving up their time during the preparation of this briefing, including:
Members of the POST Board*
David Hall, Behaviour Change
Toby Park, Behavioural Insights Team
Dr Sandra Bogelein, Climate Change Committee People and Net Zero Team*
Professor Nick Chater, Warwick Business School
Dr Jo Davan Wetton, University College London Centre for Behaviour Change*
DESNZ Green Choices Team*
Abigail Ward, Energy Saving Trust*
Rebecca Pickavance, Energy Saving Trust
Naomi Baker, Energy UK
Daisy Cross, Energy UK
Louise Shooter, Energy UK
Dr Samuel Hampton, University of Bath*
Dr Tom Hargreaves, University of East Anglia
Professor Oliver Hauser, University of Exeter
Dr Helen Holmes, University of Manchester
Dr Clare Hoolohan, University of Manchester
Professor Susan Michie, University College London
Professor Paul Monks, Chief Scientific Adviser to Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
Dr Sonja Oliveira, Strathclyde University
Dr Sarah Royston, Anglia Ruskin University
Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh MBE, University of Bath*
Dr Jill Zhao, University of West of England
*Denotes people who acted as external reviewers of this briefing
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