Part Five / What We Must Do Now

5.2 Individual Action, Social Transformation

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All online sources accessed on

  1. Even if someone takes every action they can Ivanova, D., et al., ‘Quantifying the potential for climate change mitigation of consumption options’, Environmental Research Letters, 15 (9), 2020: Article 093001, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab8589.

    climate action occurs through the many roles we occupy Whitmarsh, L., et al., ‘Behaviour change to address climate change’, Current Opinion in Psychology, 42, 2021: 76–81, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.04.002.

    so too are other people influenced by us Nolan, J. M., et al., ‘Normative social influence is underdetected’, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34 (7), 2008: 913–23, https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0146167208316691.

    the extent to which people make environmentally friendly choices Abrahamse, W., and Steg, L., ‘Social influence approaches to encourage resource conservation: a meta-analysis’, Global Environmental Change, 23 (6), 2013: 1773–85, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2013.07.029.

  2. social or behavioural ‘contagion’ Newell, P., et al., ‘Scaling behaviour change for a 1.5-degree world: challenges and opportunities’, Global Sustainability, 4, 2021: Article e22, https://doi.org/10.1017/sus.2021.23.

    households installing solar panels have a measurable effect Graziano, M., and Gillingham, K., ‘Spatial patterns of solar photovoltaic system adoption: the influence of neighbors and the built environment’, Journal of Economic Geography, 15 (4), 2015: 815–39, https://doi.org/10.1093/jeg/lbu036.

    the uptake of electric bikes, scooters and cars Seebauer, S., ‘Why early adopters engage in interpersonal diffusion of technological innovations: an empirical study on electric bicycles and electric scooters’, Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 78, 2015: 146–60, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2015.04.017; Figenbaum, E., ‘Perspectives on Norway’s supercharged electric vehicle policy’, Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 25, 2017: 14–34, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eist.2016.11.002.

    begun to shape new social norms Becken, S., et al., ‘Climate crisis and flying: social media analysis traces the rise of “flightshame”’, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 29 (9), 2021: 1450–69, https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2020.1851699; Gössling, S., et al., ‘Does “flight shame” affect social norms? Changing perspectives on the desirability of air travel in Germany’, Journal of Cleaner Production, 266, 2020: Article 122015, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122015.

    domestic air-passenger numbers fell by 9 per cent Berton, E., ‘Flight shaming hits air travel as “Greta effect” takes off’, Reuters, 2 October 2019, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-travel-flying-climate/flight-shaming-hits-air-travel-as-greta-effect-takes-off-idUSKBN1WH23G; Hervey-Bathurst, Isabella, ‘“Flygskam”: the very real impact of climate change on Swedish airlines’, Schrodes, 28 May 2019, https://www.schroders.com/en/insights/economics/flygskam-the-very-real-impact-of-climate-change-on-swedish-airlines/.

    the Flight Free campaign Flight Free UK, ‘Why flight free?’, https://flightfree.co.uk/why_flight_free/.

    Growing enthusiasm for plant-based diets Stewart, C., et al., ‘Trends in UK meat consumption: analysis of data from years 1–11 (2008–09 to 2018–19) of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey rolling programme’, Lancet Planetary Health, 5 (10), 2021: Article, e699–e708, https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00228-X.

    prompted producers to invest Wood, Z., ‘World is shifting to a more plant-based diet, says Unilever chief’, Guardian, 4 February 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/feb/04/world-is-shifting-to-a-more-plant-based-diet-says-unilever-chief.

    the potential to enable further changes Garnett, E. E., et al., ‘Impact of increasing vegetarian availability on meal selection and sales in cafeterias’, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116 (42), 2019: 20923–9, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1907207116.

    high-profile figures … can have a particularly pronounced effect Westlake, S., ‘Climate change: yes, your individual action does make a difference’, The Conversation, 11 April 2019, https://theconversation.com/climate-change-yes-your-individual-action-does-make-a-difference-115169; Nielsen, K. S., et al., ‘The role of high-socioeconomic-status people in locking in or rapidly reducing energy-driven greenhouse gas emissions’, Nature Energy, 6 (11), 2021: 1011–16, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-021-00900-y.

    personal choices that convey a message about the seriousness Attari, S. Z., et al., ‘Statements about climate researchers’ carbon footprints affect their credibility and the impact of their advice’, Climatic Change, 138 (1–2), 2016: 325–38, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-016-1713-2.

    The wealthiest 10 per cent of people globally Capstick, S., et al., ‘Bridging the gap: the role of equitable low-carbon lifestyles’, in United Nations Environment Programme, Emissions Gap Report 2020, December 2020, 62–75, https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/34432; Chancel, L., ‘The richest 10% produce about half of greenhouse gas emissions. They should pay to fix the climate’, Guardian, 7 December 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/dec/07/we-cant-address-the-climate-crisis-unless-we-also-take-on-global-inequality.

  3. their personal resources put them in a better position Nielsen et al., ‘The role of high-socioeconomic-status people’.

    Participation in social movements De la Mare, T., ‘Concern about the climate at record highs among the UK public, poll finds’, Evening Standard, 10 November 2021, https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/climate-change-poll-yougov-extinction-rebellion-cop26-b965448.html.

    its influence on wider public opinion Bugden, D., ‘Does climate protest work? Partisanship, protest, and sentiment pools’, Socius: Sociological Research for a Dynamic World, 6, 2020: 1–13, https://doi.org/10.1177%2F2378023120925949.

    exert pressure on decision-makers From Student Strikes to the Extinction Rebellion: New Protest Movements Shaping Our Future (Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing, 2020); Agnone, J., ‘Amplifying public opinion: the policy impact of the U.S. environmental movement’, Social Forces, 85 (4), 2007: 1593–1620, https://doi.org/10.1353/sof.2007.0059.

    citizens are clearly calling for a strong government response Howarth, C., et al., ‘Building a social mandate for climate action: lessons from COVID-19’, Environmental and Resource Economics, 76 (4), 2020: 1107–15, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10640-020-00446-9; Flynn, C., et al., People’s Climate Vote: Results, United Nations Development Programme and the University of Oxford, 26 January 2021, https://www.undp.org/publications/peoples-climate-vote; Steentjes, K., et al., ; Steentjes, K., et al., Public Perceptions of Climate Change and Policy Action in the UK, China, Sweden and Brazil, Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations briefing paper, November 2021, https://cast.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/01112021-Briefing-10-final.pdf.

    asking young Germans to ‘pile on the pressure’ Interview with Angela Merkel on Deutsche Welle, 7 November 2021, Deutsche Welle News, 7 November 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMvoxx7XFuc.

    ‘our feet do need to be held to the fire’ Nicola Sturgeon made this remark during a COP26 plenary session with the Ugandan activist Vanessa Nakate and the UK High-Level Climate Action Champion, Nigel Topping: ‘Cop26: racing to a better world’, YouTube, 11 November 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElSRo5A5d4E [from 37:00].

    a part of remaking the very systems and cultures Amel, E., et al., ‘Beyond the roots of human inaction: fostering collective effort toward ecosystem conservation’, Science, 356 (6335), 2017: 275–9, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aal1931.

    the potential exists for domino effects Centola, D., et al., ‘Experimental evidence for tipping points in social convention’, Science, 360 (6393), 2018: 1116–19, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aas8827; Otto, I. M., et al., ‘Social tipping dynamics for stabilizing Earth’s climate by 2050’, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117 (5), 2020: 2354–65, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1900577117; Newell et al., ‘Scaling behaviour change for a 1.5-degree world’.

    history shows that such transitions can be sudden Rapid Transition Alliance, Is There Hope?, 1 November 2021, https://www.rapidtransition.org/resources/a-pocket-book-of-hope/.

    None of this is to argue that the obligation … rests solely with citizens Akenji, L., ‘Consumer scapegoatism and limits to green consumerism’, Journal of Cleaner Production, 63, 2014: 13–23, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.05.022.

    whose powers … are often heavily constrained Maniates, M. F., ‘Individualization: plant a tree, buy a bike, save the world?’, Global Environmental Politics, 1 (3), 2001: 31–52, https://doi.org/10.1162/152638001316881395.

    An emphasis on personal responsibility has been misused Lamb, W. F., et al., ‘Discourses of climate delay’, Global Sustainability, 3, 2020: Article e17, https://doi.org/10.1017/sus.2020.13.

    a deliberate tactic which deserves to be discredited Supran, G., and Oreskes, N., ‘Rhetoric and frame analysis of ExxonMobil’s climate change communications’, One Earth, 4 (5), 2021: 696–719, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2021.04.014.

    It is also essential that governments show leadership Akenji, L., et al., 1.5-Degree Lifestyles: Towards a Fair Consumption Space for All, Hot or Cool Institute, October 2021, https://hotorcool.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Hot_or_Cool_1_5_lifestyles_FULL_REPORT_AND_ANNEX_B.pdf.