RESEARCH ON LIFESTYLES, SOCIETAL VALUES

AND ENVIRONMENT
IAN CHRISTIE, CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY

RESOLVE Seminar: discussion with

Dr Nick Eyre (Oxford University ECI) and
Simon Roberts OBE (Centre for Sustainable Energy),
31.10.2011
 The seminar
RESOLVE
http://resolve.sustainablelifestyles.ac.uk/

–The programme and its goals

–Research highlights
–Some reflections on
RESOLVE
–Responses from Nick and
Simon
–Open discussion
ESRC programme RESOLVE:
aims of the research
The overall aim of RESOLVE is to
develop a rigorous understanding of
the links between lifestyle, societal
values and the environment.
RESOLVE will work to provide
robust, evidence-based advice to
policy-makers in the UK and
elsewhere who are seeking to
understand and to influence the
behaviours and practices of ‘energy
consumers’.
Director: Prof. Tim Jackson
CES, University of Surrey
Funding: ESRC
In search of ‘energy consumers’

• home insulation
• energy efficient lights
• turning down the thermostat
• buying local
• re-using and recycling
• flying less
• cycling more…

• from changing the way we live

to keeping out the draughts..
 Research Challenges
Developing an evidence base
• working out which aspects of
our lives the impacts arise from;
• addressing the social
psychology of lifestyle and
lifestyle change;
• understanding the social and
cultural context of modern lives
and values;
• identifying the potential for
lifestyle change;
• identifying the impacts of
change on lifestyle;
• interdisciplinary work
• exploring the implications for
policy
 RESOLVE Themes

Carbon Mapping Psychology of Energy Sociology of Lifestyles

(V1) (V2) (V3)

Lifestyle Scenarios
(H1)

Governance and Policy

(H2)
 RESOLVE in Pictures
V1. Lifestyle V2. Social Psychology V3. Sociology of
Mapping Lifestyles

H1. Lifestyle Scenarios

H2. Governance and Policy

V1. Lifestyle Mapping

• develop and test a robust,

pragmatic ‘carbon mapping’
framework;
• explore patterns and trends in
‘direct’ and ‘indirect’ energy
demand in different lifestyle
sectors and segments;
• decompose structural, technical
and socio-demographic patterns
and trends;
• explore the impact of fiscal
interventions on final demand
V2. Social Psychology

• understand the social psychology

of lifestyle and lifestyle change;
• explore normative and affective
motivations in energy-related
behaviours and practices;
• elaborate and test a ‘threatened
identity’ model of change and
resistance to change;
• test the success of different
‘interventions’ in changing
energy-related behaviours
 V3. Sociology of Lifestyles

• understand the social and cultural

context of modern lives and
values;
• explore the social demographics
(gender, class, age, ethnicity etc)
of energy lifestyles;
• examine the socio-cultural
construction of modern identity
and lifestyle narratives;
• elaborate and test a ‘threatened
identities/meanings’ model of
change and resistance to change.

www.CartoonStock.com
 H1. Lifestyle Scenarios

• explore emerging trends in direct

and indirect energy consumption,
as well as in energy-related
lifestyles, attitudes and behaviours;
• ‘longitudinal’ empirical case studies
in lifestyle change: monitoring
energy/carbon, psychological and
social variables
• evaluate and test a range of
‘sustainable lifestyle scenarios’;

Proof that the world is getting warmer…

…..and more fashion conscious
H2. Policy and Governance

• explore historical and emerging

trends in environmental, energy
and social policy in the UK and
abroad;
• examine and test policy options to
foster sustainable energy
behaviours and practices;
• research the drivers of (and limits
to) success in community-based
social change;
• elaborate long-term governance
implications of the climate
challenge.
RESOLVE Research Highlights
Mapping and Scenarios (V1/H1)
– modelling frameworks
• quasi-multi-regional IO econometric model
• SELMA: Surrey Environmental Lifestyle Mapping Analysis
• integration of these models in summer 2009 to support
scenario generation for GHG emissions linked to lifestyle
patterns
• structural time series modelling: economic/societal factors in
consumer demand
• small area estimation
– applications
• Kyoto progress / policies for Copenhagen process
• carbon attributed to functional needs
• study of rebound effects
• exploration of consumer trends
• household level tools
– scenario development
• reference scenario
• scenario framework
 RESOLVE Research Highlights
Psychology and Sociology (V2/V3)
– Quantitative studies
• Food and identity: meat consumption
• Young people: wellbeing and materialism
• Mindfulness and consumerism
• 21st Century Living
• BarEnergy
– Qualitative studies
• Sustainable Lifestylers
• Life histories
• Everyday life and the Environment (ELATE)
• Demanding goods: producers and consumers
• Case studies of committed groups
 RESOLVE Research Highlights
Policy and Governance (H2)
– Policy
• UK energy policy historical review
• international policy : Copenhagen applications
– Community Engagement
• 3 local authorities
• Local Authorities and Communities conference
• Community Action on Climate Change (Peters, M et al
eds., Low Carbon Communities, E Elgar, 2010)
• Energy Policy (special issue 2009)

Lifestyles and consumption

– Quantitative (21st Century living)
– Qualitative (ELATE)
– Econometric (consumer trends)
– Consumption perspective on carbon emissions
 RESOLVE:
Some links to policy and practice

• Sustainable Consumption and

Production / Pro-Environmental
behaviours / SLRG - DEFRA
• BERR/OFGEM – Smart Metering
• SDC – Prosperity without Growth
• House of Lords: report on
behaviour change and policy
• Behavioural Insights team in
Cabinet Office
• Rebound effects: SLRG
 RESOLVE: some reflections
• Lifestyles are more than the sum
of consumption practices
• Lifestyles are about the patterns
of feedback and influence
between identity, values, life-
stories, life-stages, practices and
habits and the wider systems in
which we are embedded
• So...‘Nudge’ is necessary - but
very far from sufficient
• Individualised approach to
‘behaviour change’ won’t work
Lifestyles: stories, settings, values
• making ends meet;
• managing the household;
• locked into routines;
• building relationships;
• anxious about status;
• hungry for experience;
• pursuing dreams and aspirations;
• searching for meaning

• helping to ‘create the social world

and find within it a creditable
place’
 What’s a lifestyle?

STRUCTURES

CONSTRAINTS FROM
EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE
AND ‘LOCK-IN’ TO SYSTEMS
OF PROVISION, PLACES,
PRACTICES, HABITS

DESIRES, ASPIRATIONS,
VALUES: OFTEN AT ODDS
WITH WHAT WE ARE
‘LOCKED INTO’ IN
EVERYDAY LIFE

IDENTITY PRACTICES BASED ON

CAPACITIES
‘LIFESTYLE SUPPORT SYSTEMS’
- MAINSTREAM AND ‘ALTERNATIVE’

DEVELOPING A LIFESTYLE FOR LOW-CARBON CONSUMPTION

GOES AGAINST THE GRAIN AND BRINGS AMBIVALENCE
- ‘THREATENED IDENTITIES’
Challenges for policy and alternative
‘lifestyle support systems’
• Lock-in to systems
of provision
• Rebound effects
• Escalation effects
• Identity threats
• Income and
distributional issues
in low-carbon shifts
• Tim Jackson:
– ‘Structure beats agency’
– ‘Scale overwhelms
efficiency’
Challenges for policy and alternative
‘lifestyle support systems’
• Policies need to be applied
consistently at multiple
levels: new structures, at
scale, to support agency
• Structural signals: energy and
basic systems of provision;
distributional fairness
• Business incentives - support
for sustainable business
models
• Community level - new forms
of energy governance and
investment
• Households and citizens:
beyond Nudge / information
• Mindfulness, moments of
change, rewards, recognition
 Building on RESOLVE
• SLRG and SPRG
• Lifestyles, practices
• DEFRA and ESRC
funding
• Rebound effects
• Lifestyles and
moments of
transition as points
for interventions
• Community-based
schemes for
sustainable living
 Thanks for your attention
• And thanks to all the RESOLVE
researchers and administrators
• See RESOLVE conference
presentations from June 2011:
• http://resolve.sustainablelifestyles.ac.uk/events/conf
erences/2011

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