Scottish Government

Climate Change Behaviours Research Programme 2010-12

The 'Climate Change Behaviours Research Programme' (CCBRP) features a range of research projects, both in-house and commissioned work, to better understand: the behaviour areas that are central to addressing climate change and the most effective mechanisms for stimulating, facilitating and supporting new and more sustainable ways of living. The CCBRP has already fed into the Public Engagement Strategy (2010).

Published Reports

The Review of the Climate Challenge Fund has investigated in depth the impacts of 21 community projects across Scotland looking to reduce carbon emissions and explored how they have been successful (June 2011). Research outputs include a summary report, main report and technical appendix.

International Review of Behaviour Change Initiatives - This key report from the University of Manchester reviews a range of interventions that have attempted to reduce the carbon intensity of consumption practices. The report also proposes a framework for understanding and developing behavioural change initiatives, based on Individual/Social/Material contexts (February 2011). Project outputs include a research report and conference presentation.

The Impact of Workplace Initiatives on Low Carbon Behaviours - This research, commissioned jointly by the Scottish Government, Defra and the 2020 Climate Group, investigates ‘what works’ in delivering low-carbon behavioural initiatives in the workplace. Research outputs include a main report, case study report and good practice guide for employers.

Conferences

• What Works in Behaviour Change - this conference focused on pragmatic solutions to how individuals and households can reduce their carbon emissions.
• Values and Climate Change Behaviours – this conference considered the role of values in influencing sustainable behaviours and discussed what more could be done to embed values-based approaches.

Working Papers

• Changing Household Energy Behaviours - An evidence review on the effectiveness of different policy approaches to reducing domestic energy consumption through changing people's behaviours. (March 2011)
• CCBRP update report - provides an update on ongoing work within the Climate Change Behaviours Research Programme, including a focus on the Key Behaviour Areas identified in the Public Engagement Strategy. (February 2011)
• Ten key messages for Government (and the wider public sector) about behaviour change - drawn from a Scottish Government conference on "what works in behaviour change?". (July 2010)

Influencing Behaviours Evidence Library

A document library listing key sources of evidence on pro-environmental behaviours and behaviour change has been compiled as part of the CCBRP.  The evidence library covers literature on a range of topics such as travel behaviours, home energy, food choices, behaviour change theory, and communicating climate change messages.   

This resource will be of interest to those involved in climate change research, policy or communications, as well as anyone involved in designing and running behaviour change initiatives. 

Research Groups Supported by the CCBRP

The Scottish Government is supporting two academic research groups with Defra and the Economic and Social Research Council: the Sustainable Practices Research Group (SPRG) and the Sustainable Lifestyles Research Group (SLRG). These groups, based at hubs at Manchester and Surrey, are carrying out a range of research on sustainable behaviours with relevance to Scotland. A number of projects have sites of inquiry in Scotland, and Edinburgh University is one of the partner universities with both SPRG and SLRG.

At a Scottish Government launch event for these research groups, presentation were delivered on both SPRG and SLRG.