Environmental values and identities at the personal and group level

Environmental protection is more important to European citizens of all political persuasions than economic growth: A 14-country study in the marine context

To focus on voters' priorities, Bill Clinton's campaign famously used the slogan, "It's the economy stupid." With growing environmental crises, is this still true? We explored this issue for the marine sector, using representatively-weighted survey data from 14 European countries (N = 11,130). Citizens were asked about their own and policy makers' (perceived) preferences for marine-related economic, environmental, and human health policy goals. Results found the public consistently prioritised environmental protection and, to a lesser extent, health over economic growth. However, the public believed that policy makers cared less about the environment and health, but more about the economy than they did themselves. These patterns were consistent across all countries, all points of the political spectrum, and among coastal and inland residents. Marine policy makers who care about public opinion, may want to start considering that, at least for the European public, it is increasingly about "the environment, stupid!".

It starts at home: non-economic factors influencing consumer acceptance of battery storage in Australia

Homeowners play a critical role in the uptake of low-carbon technologies, yet little is known about the factors that underlie market acceptance of residential battery storage. This research integrates social-psychological, demographic and behavioural factors into a holistic model that predicts market acceptance. Previous research has indicated that social factors play a crucial role in the adoption of rooftop solar. Still, the influence of subjective norms on battery storage, a relatively invisible technology, has yet to be fully understood. An online survey from homeowners in Australia, a mature renewable energy market, is used to provide insights into market acceptance that are relevant to international energy markets. A two-step econometric model, using factor analysis and ordered logistic regression, was used for data analysis. The results show that subjective norms, moral emotions and an environmental self-identity are positively associated with market acceptance. Demographic factors, such as younger age and higher levels of education, predict market acceptance. Motives such as technical interest, autarky and load-shifting behaviours are also relevant. Several recommendations for policymakers and practitioners are offered to improve the acceptance of battery storage, including interventions that exploit social parameters and appeal to consumer psychology.

Exploration of children's value patterns in relation to environmental education programmes

During childhood we begin to develop values, including valuing the natural environment (biospheric values). Although biospheric values are believed to provide the foundation for pro-environmental behavior throughout the course of one's life, little research has investigated these values in children. The present study aimed to investigate the relationships between children's endorsement of biospheric values, their pro-environmental behaviors, and their perception of their friends' and peers' endorsement of biospheric values. Moreover, we investigated whether these values and behaviors, as well as the hypothesized relationships, were affected by educational programmes that were already implemented at schools. The results showed that children generally strongly endorse biospheric values, and that biospheric values were positively related to some personal and group pro-environmental behaviors. The study also found that, as in previous research with adults, the participants believed that their friends and peers endorsed biospheric values significantly less than they themselves did. Environmental educational programs were partially effective in reducing the participants' underestimation of their friends' biospheric values and increased the likelihood of some group pro-environmental behaviors. Our findings highlight the need for further research to investigate the effects of group pro-environmental behaviors and the perception of group values.

Seeing past the tip of your own nose? How outward and self-centred orientations could contribute to closing the green gap despite helplessness

BACKGROUND

The present study explored moderators of the relation between environmental concerns and pro-environmental behaviour that could help close the green gap.

METHODS

A sample of 500 individuals (250 women) participated in the study. Apart from socio-demographic characteristics, participants answered questions about their environmental concerns and pro-environmental behaviour, collectivism and individualism, time orientation and emotional responses to climate change.

RESULTS

Our results corroborate the view that collectivism, future orientation and prosocial tendencies may form a single component of outward orientation, while individualism and immediate orientation form self-centred orientation. Generally, outwardly oriented individuals and those less self-centred reported more pro-environmental behaviour. However, strongly self-centred individuals, even when reporting elevated helplessness, showed increased involvement in pro-environmental behaviour once their concerns were high.

CONCLUSIONS

The study contributes to the literature by pointing out that both outward and self-centred orientations have the potential to insulate individuals against the negative effect helplessness may have on pro-environmental behaviour. This could inform strategies that would both prompt individuals already concerned to act and arouse more concern among those who are not yet preoccupied with climate change.

The current status of environmental forensic science in the member institutes of the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI)

The paper presents the results of a questionnaire survey carried out by The Forensic laboratory of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI-FL), aiming to get an overview of the current status of environmental forensic science (EFS) and environmental crimes investigation in the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI). A questionnaire was sent out to 71 ENFSI member institutes and the response rate was 44%. The results of the survey indicate that the issue of environmental crime is taken seriously in most participating countries, but a need for improvement in the approach to the issue was identified. Countries define environmental crime differently and have different law structures regarding what kind of actions are considered environmental crimes. The most frequently mentioned actions were waste dumping, pollution, inappropriate handling of chemicals and hazardous waste, oil spills, illicit excavation and wildlife crime and trading.The different roles of the authorities involved in the investigative process seem to be somewhat unclear in several countries. Most institutes participated on some level in the forensic processes related to environmental crime cases. The most common tasks performed in forensic institutes were the analysis of environmental samples and interpretation of the results. Only three institutes had case coordination services related to EFS. Participation in sample collection was rare but a clear developmental need was identified. A majority of the respondents acknowledged a need for increased scientific collaboration and education in the field of EFS.

Psychology of Climate Change

Human behavior plays a critical role in causing global climate change as well as in responding to it. In this article, I review important insights on the psychology of climate change. I first discuss factors that affect the likelihood that individuals engage in a wide range of climate actions. Next, I review the processes through which values affect climate actions and reflect on how to motivate climate actions among people who do not strongly care about nature, the environment, and climate change. Then I explain that even people who may be motivated to engage in climate actions may not do so when they face major barriers to act. This implies that to promote wide-scale climate actions, broader system changes are needed. I discuss relevant factors that affect public support for system changes that facilitate and enable climate action. Finally, I summarize key lessons learned and identify important questions for future research.

Citizen Engagement in EU Collective Action Energy Projects

Transitioning to a low-carbon economy requires profound changes in the energy system, including digitisation and decentralisation. Collective action energy projects are a promising means of supporting this transformation since they redistribute control of energy resources to the citizens and foster sustainable energy behaviours, as well as potentially enhancing energy justice and democracy. The EU has funded a number of collective action energy R&I projects which combine the use of new technologies and community engagement. We identify 28 such projects and investigate the types of community engagement strategies trialed and the challenges they face. We find that engagement strategies comprise a mixture of shorter term participation and longer term behaviour change strategies. There is a tendency towards behaviour change strategies based on feedback and/or rewards, while other promising strategies like targeting group norms are less common. Overall, projects opt for medium-level participation, while co-creative or more empowering approaches are less common. A lack of consistency in approach and a lack of reported data on social impacts of the projects makes it difficult to determine how effective the engagement strategies (and hence projects themselves) have been. We provide some recommendations for designing and monitoring similar research projects going forward.

A Research Agenda to Better Understand the Human Dimensions of Energy Transitions

The Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) have a key role to play in understanding which factors and policies would motivate, encourage and enable different actors to adopt a wide range of sustainable energy behaviours and support the required system changes and policies. The SSH can provide critical insights into how consumers could be empowered to consistently engage in sustainable energy behaviour, support and adopt new technologies, and support policies and changes in energy systems. Furthermore, they can increase our understanding of how organisations such as private and public institutions, and groups and associations of people can play a key role in the sustainable energy transition. We identify key questions to be addressed that have been identified by the Platform for Energy Research in the Socio-economic Nexus (PERSON, see person.eu), including SSH scholars who have been studying energy issues for many years. We identify three main research themes. The first research theme involves understanding which factors encourage different actors to engage in sustainable energy behaviour. The second research theme focuses on understanding which interventions can be effective in encouraging sustainable energy behaviour of different actors, and which factors enhance their effects. The third research theme concerns understanding which factors affect public and policy support for energy policy and changes in energy systems, and how important public concerns can best be addressed as to reduce or prevent resistance.

From values to climate action

To mitigate anthropogenic climate change, it is important to know what motivates individuals to support and take climate action. Values reflect universal, general, desirable goals which guide individuals' preferences and actions. Stronger biospheric values (caring about the environment), in particular, predict stronger engagement in climate action. Although many individuals have strong biospheric values, contextual barriers can inhibit their climate actions. Notably, policies and contextual changes that reduce contextual barriers can motivate and enable individuals to act on their biospheric values. In addition, public participation may better engage public values in climate policies and actions as to increase their acceptability. Finally, correcting biases that others have weaker biospheric values than oneself may also motivate individuals to support and take climate action.