I will if you will

Tackling Environmental Pollution

Overwhelming scientific evidence supports the conclusion that observed changes in the global climate are, in large part, due to human activities and primarily related to fossil fuel consumption patterns. Without urgent action to curb greenhouse gas emissions, the Earth will become warmer by 2050 than at anytime in the last 10,000 years.

How to stimulate behaviour change in respect of housing, transport, leisure, food. Information? Incentives? Example? The Sustainable Development Commission says "I will if you will".

There needs to be a mix of information and 'incentives' to convince people to change their behaviors toward environment impacts. Some sort of punish/reward idea (do good, pay less) can work - otherwise people will just ignore an information campaign. Although all the various schemes are all well and good, but for the majority of people the economic factor is the most important. Organic and environmentally freindly options are invariably more expensive, and a huge swathe of the population simply cannot afford to be as eco-friendly as they would like. Only by making these options cheaper will any progress be made.
Recent work by NEF is investigating and advocating things such as Behaviour Economics where they have identified seven principals to engage people in changing their decision making processes.
The seven principals are:

1. Other people’s behaviour matters
2. Habits are important
3. People are motivated to ‘do the right thing’
4. People’s self-expectations influence how they behave
5. People are loss-averse
6. People are bad at computation
7. People need to feel involved and effective to make change

We have to move away from the current measure of success within our society which is based only around GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and GVA (Gross Value Added) with their strong relationship with growth to measures associated with a more holistic framework that of Wellbeing.

Again NEF have spearheaded this approach and drew up a Wellbeing Manifesto as set out below:
1. Measure what matters
2. Create a well-being economy
3. Reclaim our time
4. Create an education system that promotes flourishing
5. Refocus the health system to promote complete health
6. Invest in the very early years and parenting
7. Discourage materialism and promote authentic advertising
8. Strengthen civil society, social well-being and active citizenship

Recent work by the Sustainable Development Research Network sponsored Defra has also focused on the concept of wellbeing. Further practical work is required to see the affect of wellbeing as tool of engagement and a measure of individual and community satisfaction.

In a recent report by the Sustainable Development Commission on sustainable consumption, concluded, that people are ready and willing to change but need strong leadership and support from central Government and business’. There is a complex interaction taking place between the individual and communities of place, interest and practice underpinned by the daily messages we get from the media and government.
There is a considerable amount of work that needs to be undertaken looking at the relationship between the needs of our communities, businesses and the advice given by government. There is great potential to shift the interactions between business, community and government looking at various levels and not from just one centralist perspective. There has to be an adjustment looking at the interactions at the local, national and global levels.

There is no one single solution, no panacea, there has to be a mixture from national and global messages to consistent local engagement. There is a need to get people to understand how their actions impact on the sustainability of their community and the world, now and in the future.
Social marketers stress the importance of a durable relationship – based on trust – which will enhance confidence to change rather than one-off interventions. It is essential that capacity is built up within a community for these relationships to foster, here volunteering plays a crucial role.

This durability of relationships is also paramount in complex system theory which looks at how the whole system functions from individual elements (nodes), to groups and communities (components), and the bonds that connect them. It links in with network theory but from a fluctuating dynamic perspective with uncertainty as a driving force. Complexity theory is being used more and more in an interdisciplinary setting looking at relationships and emerging order. There is a high degree of connectedness between nodes and components, between individuals and groups which cause fuzzy boundaries which can then become self-referencing.
Chaos theory also refers to the need to understand the feedback loops that maintain current behaviour and that these have to be disrupted for new ‘attractors’ (sustainable living actions) to form. There has to be a de-centralised approach to let the system experiment and innovative solutions emerge for the mass of interactions at the local level, not controlled from a centralist perspective but only guided from above (if that is ever possible!).

As mentioned earlier, when discussing behavioural economics, communities can influence the decisions that individuals or households might make through social learning and identity reinforcement. Social learning theory teaches us that how we connect with underlying beliefs is important, but so is the mechanism by which a message spreads. Certain attitudes and sympathies can remain dormant until they are activated by an idea or practice becoming more visible and public, this viral emerging nature of behaviour change is vital.

In summary, behaviour in any particular situation is a function partly of attitudes and intentions, partly of routine responses and habits, and partly through the situational constraints and conditions under which people live. Intentions in their turn are influenced by social, normative and emotional factors as well as by rational considerations. ‘People are neither fully deliberative nor fully mechanical. People are neither fully autonomous nor entirely social’.

Behaviours are influenced by moral beliefs, but the impact of these is moderated both by any emotional drives and intellectual limitations. The approach we need to take is one of addressing individual, interpersonal and social interactions in a complex interrelating network of communities of place, interest and practice. There is growing recognition though that engagement and ownership at the local level is vital and there is an acute need for supportive mechanisms to be developed within communities to engage individuals, households and groups in behavioural change activities linked to new interrelating measures of success.
Defra have asked participants of its workshop to bring together around thirty organisations, with a public profile and / or expertise in encouraging individuals to change their behaviour in ways that reduce their environmental footprint. They are looking at establishing a shared understanding of particular behaviours that can be encouraged, in relation to energy, transport and food.

This is not a panacea, and there are many other initiatives around. However, consumers face a confusing barrage of information and advice. Both governments and consumers could benefit from greater clarity on priorities, and a shared understanding between government and groups in civil society could be an important means of accelerating progress.
People might not listen to the government if it doesn't practice what it preaches. So a good start would be for DEFRA to ensure it has a high recycling rate in its offices, that its employees turn their computers and the screens off at night, and that the lights use energy efficient bulbs. Lead by example.

Then there is the financial incentive. Most people can grasp the idea that an energy efficient lightbulb, or loft insulation will save them money, but don't choose to do either of these things because they are expensive and a hassle. The government needs to ensure that environmentally friendly products are not too expensive at the outset- perhaps finding a way through taxation to ensure that the gap in price between (to use the same example again) an energy efficient lightbulb and an ordinary one is less.
Generally when something costs more we use it less, when something costs less we use it more. The United Nations in their Millennium Assessment report, said unequivocally that we had to give ‘full value’ to nature's services. ( www.millenniumassessment.org )

At this point in time, because of accelerating global warming, the important of these services is carbon storage services. If the carbon dioxide polluters paid the full cost of the carbon storage services that are needed to clean that carbon dioxide up, the cost of fossil fuels would rise dramatically. Conversely the value of forests would rise because of the carbon storage income they would generate from the carbon polluters.

These extra costs for fossil fuels would drive improved insulation in homes, better use of heating, more use of comparatively cheaper renewable energies, cleaner burn cars, more efficient transport use, leisure pursuits which were less carbon producing, increased consumption of local food (as the real transport costs drove up the price of food miles).

This would work on a local, regional, national level. Indeed it is vital that this trade also works on an international level as well, as even if the UK became carbon neutral, it would make very little difference to global warming.

We are extraordinarily lucky that at this time of crisis, there is an international organisation which has ‘sustainable development’ enshrined in page 1, paragraph 1, of the Agreement that established it, and has ‘sustainable development’ as its overarching aim according to its Director-General. Let’s remember, ‘sustainable development’ is an impossibility unless global warming is tackled, so this organisation must do all it can to tackle global warming.

Further this organisation is mandated by its members to, 'the optimal use of the world's resources ..seeking both to preserve and protect the environment..' and ‘has broadbased responsibility covering all areas of the multilateral trading system - including services’ .

This international organisation has the power to enforce its decisions on its member which include all the key players in global warming.

The World Trade Organisation (WTO), by recognising the free and fair international trade of ecosystem services beginning with the implementation of carbon storage services, could effectively make us all, as individuals, as companies, as organisations, as countries, strive to be in carbon credit, because it was in our best commercial and financial interests to be so. It seems clear the WTO is mandated by its members to recognise this largest of all global trade sectors but some of the key players must be encouraged.

- warming will trigger some processes which speed further warming, and other effects which mitigate it. The balance between these positive and negative feedbacks is a major cause of uncertainty in climate predictions. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the main greenhouse gas of concern. A finite amount of carbon is stored in fossil fuels, the sea, living matter and the atmosphere. Without human influence, transfers between these stores roughly balance each other ? for example, plants absorb carbon as they grow, but release it as they decay. But when humans cut down trees or burn fossil fuels, they release extra carbon into the atmosphere, increasing the greenhouse effect (BBC).

- To give green energy a chance
o developing a long-term 'cap and trade' regime for carbon emissions, to guarantee carbon reduction;
o establishing a capacity payment system, to guarantee sufficient electricity generating capacity, and
o improving the regulatory structure for renewable and decentralised energy - including the remit of OFGEM - to spark a revolution in green energy.

- Britain will not be able to meet its goals on climate change without curbing the demand for air travel, according to an Oxford University report. The Oxford University report - Predict and Decide: Aviation, climate change and UK policy - says improvements in technology and air traffic management would have some impact on emissions, but would not be enough on their own. It argues that increasing the tax passengers pay on flights will be a much more immediate and effective way to deter them from travelling. It also says the cost of leisure and business flights has fallen in real terms over the past 15 years, and this has driven at least 40% of the growth in air travel.


I Count Campaign

SCC is an unprecedented and growing coalition on climate change, bringing together environment and development organisations, unions, faith, community and women?s groups. Members include Friends of the Earth, RSPB, Greenpeace, WWF, Oxfam, Tearfund, Christian Aid, the Women?s Institute and UNISON.
I Count is designed to inspire personal and political action and counter the view that climate change is too big a problem to fix. The campaign has already gained support, from leading environmentalists to global poverty campaigners.
"I Count because the world is facing its greatest man-made threat ever - climate change. Urgent action is needed - by individuals and most of all governments. Without political will, action on the scale required will not be possible." Sir David Attenborough

"I Count because I care about the millions of people living in poor countries that will be hit first and worst by climate change". Annie Lennox
The I Count pocket sized book, published by Penguin, outlines 16 essential steps that take you from The Power of Off and Rejecting the Ridiculous, to the Magic of Sharing. It provides practical and entertaining guidance on how people can reduce their personal carbon dioxide emissions, and encourages them to place pressure on politicians to take action too. The book costs ?3 and has already received rave reviews.

"I usually hate books that tell you what to do, but this one actually made me laugh and showed me how to save a bit of cash." Jo Brand.
"The I Count step by step guide to climate bliss book is not only exceptionally important, it's also pretty funny and gives you a great excuse to invite a friend to share a bath." Alistair McGowan
The I Count campaign is encouraging people who care about climate change to sign up online or by text and turn up at the mass event at London?s Trafalgar Square on Saturday November 4th. It calls on the UK government to provide:
• Action internationally: ensure that global greenhouse gas emissions are irreversibly declining by 2015.
• Action for justice: deliver assistance to developing countries to adapt to climate change and give access to clean energy to meet their developmental needs.
• Action in the UK: introduce a Carbon budget in the Queen?s speech to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 3% per year.

Sources:
Comments: David Miliband’s weblog
http://www.davidmiliband.defra.gov.uk/blogs/
ministerial_blog/about_blog.aspx
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/press/releases/icount_blairs
lastchance_111006.htm
http://www.icount.org.uk
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/sci_nat/04/climate
_change/html/carbon.stm
http://www.howgreenisyourcar.co.uk/
http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=campaigns.display.
page&obj_id=130755
http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/po/news/2006-07/oct/17.shtml