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Partner event

How can we build a net-zero society?

Hosted by The Behavioural Insights Team
14 Mar 2023 09:30 – 12:00
In-person
Free

This event took place on Tuesday 14 March.

Achieving the UK’s net-zero goals requires significant social and behavioural change. Professor Cass Sunstein, Founder and director of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy at Harvard Law School and co-author of Nudge, joined us to analyse a new report about building a net-zero society from the Behavioural Insights Team. It combines research and new public polling to understand the radical change needed in our lifestyles and across the domestic energy, food and transport sectors.

There is currently no comprehensive plan for public engagement on net zero from the UK government, and a lack of clarity on which regulatory and systemic changes are needed to enable everyone to make greener choices.  

The Climate Change Committee estimates that 62% of the necessary emissions reductions to meet net zero in the UK depend on individual behaviour, such as the adoption of green tech (such as electric vehicles and heat pumps), lifestyle changes including less red meat and dairy and less flying and driving. Much of the remaining 38% also depends on social and behavioural constraints, including public support for green infrastructure and policy. This report is the first of its kind to draw a path to net zero which is evidence-based, effective and politically feasible. 

We hosted an in-person event with key voices in behavioural science, public policy and climate science, to look at how to revolutionise the approach to tackling the climate emergency. We explored the findings of the report and how to embed behavioural insights into policy across systems and sectors.

Speakers

Cass_Sunstein

Professor Cass Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor, Harvard University

Cass is the founder and director of the Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy at Harvard Law School, and co-author of Nudge – Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth and Happiness. Hugely influential within the behaviour insights and public policy arenas, Cass is also an expert on the application of behavioural science to net-zero policy and environmental initiatives.

David-Halpern

Professor David Halpern CBE, Chief Executive, BIT

David has led the Behavioural Insights Team since its inception in 2010. Prior to that, David was the first Research Director of the Institute for Government and between 2001 and 2007 was the Chief Analyst at the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit. David was also appointed as the What Works National Advisor in July 2013, a position he held until 2022 through which he led efforts to improve the use of evidence across government.

Ravi Gurumurthy 2022 (3)

Ravi Gurumurthy, Chief Executive, Nesta

Ravi Gurumurthy joined Nesta as Chief Executive in December 2019. Ravi was previously responsible for the International Rescue Committee’s work in designing, testing and scaling products and services for people affected by crisis in over 40 countries – from reducing acute malnutrition and intimate partner violence, to expanding employment for Syrian refugees. Prior to joining the International Rescue Committee in 2013, Ravi held a number of roles in the UK Government, including Director of Strategy at the UK’s Department of Energy and Climate Change and as a strategic advisor to the Foreign Secretary. Ravi has also worked as a researcher at the think-tank Demos and in local government in London.

Toby-Park

Toby Park, Head of Energy and Sustainability Policy, BIT

Toby is Head of Energy and Sustainability Policy at the Behavioural Insights Team and lead author of How to Build a Net Zero Society.

lorraine-whitmarsh

Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh MBE, Director, Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations

Lorraine is an environmental psychologist, specialising in perceptions and behaviour in relation to climate change, energy and transport. She is Director of the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) and a professor in environmental psychology at Bath University. Her research projects have included studies of energy efficiency behaviours, waste reduction and carrier bag reuse, perceptions of smart technologies and electric vehicles, low-carbon lifestyles and responses to climate change.

reisch-lucia

Professor Lucia Reisch, El-Erian Professor of Behavioural Economics & Policy, Cambridge University

Lucia is the El-Erian Professor of Behavioural Economics & Policy at Cambridge Judge Business School. Lucia has two decades of experience of high-level policy consulting on consumer behaviour and behavioural policy. She has been founding chair of the Advisory Council for Consumer Affairs of the German Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (2014-2018). She has also been a member of the German Bioeconomy Council, the German Council for Sustainable Development (2010-2019),and a regular member of high-level scientific committees and ad hoc groups consulting for the German Chancellor Angela Merkel on sustainability issues (eg, the Ethics Commission after Fukushima, 2011).

About the partner

The Behavioural Insights Team

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Event information

14 Mar 2023 09:30 – 12:00
Free