How can we encourage or incentivise behavioural change among businesses, communities, and individuals to achieve positive outcomes for the environment? What models of societal change might be used to underpin these behaviour change initiatives?

Background

The research areas identified in this document rely on a wide range of research tools and approaches, spanning disciplines across the sciences and social sciences. This section is not an exhaustive list of the tools and approaches of interest to Defra. It identifies some areas of particular relevance and change, which will be important in addressing the challenges faced by Defra and represented throughout this document.

Societies demand resource from the environment and shape that environment. The social science of human-nature interactions is of fundamental importance to Defra.

Next steps

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Source

This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:

DEFRA Research and innovation interests GOVUK

Related UKRI funded projects


  • Bridging Environmental Values

    Much current government policy and initiatives is aimed at encouraging pro-environmental behaviour change (PEBC) amongst organisations and individuals to ameliorate environmental pollution and the drivers of climate chan...

    Funded by: AHRC

    Lead research organisation: University of York

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on encouraging pro-environmental behavior change among organizations and individuals, which directly addresses the question.

  • CAST2

    Fundamental transformations across society are required to avoid the worst climate-related risks. At the same time, there are huge opportunities to improve society and wellbeing through these transformations. The need fo...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Bath

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on societal transformations and behavior change related to climate action, aligning with the question's emphasis on incentivizing behavioral change for positive environmental outcomes.

  • Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST)

    The Centre for Climate Change Transformations (C3T) will be a global hub for understanding the profound changes required to address climate change. At its core, is a fundamental question of enormous social significance: ...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Bath

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project aims to understand how to transform lifestyles and social structures to achieve a low-carbon future, which aligns with the question.

  • The Distribution and Dynamics of UK Citizens' Environmental Attitudes, Behaviours and Actions

    This project will use the detailed data on individual and household characteristics, environmental and other types of behaviours in the new 90,000 strong 'Understanding Society' household panel (UKHLS) and the preceding ...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Essex

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project analyzes the relationships between environmental attitudes, behaviors, and actions, which partially addresses the question.

  • Beyond Individual Persuasion: Towards a Paradigm Shift in Interactive Visualisation and Sensing for Environmental Change

    The overarching goal of this project is to innovate the design of interactive visualisations and sensing for environmental change, reorienting them beyond their current use as levers of individual persuasion, towards an ...

    Funded by: EPSRC

    Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON

  • Green Economy Transition

    Newham Council has ambitious targets to become carbon neutral by 2030, and to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050\. There is a clear political commitment set out in the 2022 Corporate Plan, _Building a Fair...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: LONDON BOROUGH OF NEWHAM

  • Monitoring and Evaluation for Sustainable Communities

    Community groups do have a pivotal role to play in meeting the UK's ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments and sustainable development goals. Across the UK there are currently over 600 'low carbon' commu...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Oxford

  • The Greenwash Scorecard

    The Greenwash Scorecard is a user-friendly tool aimed at uncovering greenwashing across the business landscape, consumer choices, and the creative sectors. Users complete a self-assessment questionnaire and receive a sco...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: NOSY CONSULTANCY LTD

    Why might this be relevant?

    Partially relevant as it focuses on uncovering greenwashing and promoting transparency, but does not directly address incentivizing behavioral change.

  • PRO-CLIMATE

    The strategic objective of PRO-CLIMATE isto support communitiesto proactively adapt to climate change through social transformation and behavioural change. To achieve this, PRO-CLIMATE will identify social tipping points...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

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  • Joined-up Sustainability Transformations (JUST)

    The unique ambition of the Centre for Joined-Up Sustainability Transformations (JUST) is born from evidence that the context for research on low carbon living (LCL) has changed in recent years: there is an urgent need to...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Manchester