Ask the Expert: How can policymakers encourage public engagement in climate change and sustainable behaviours?

Given that building a low-carbon society and tackling climate change may feel like an insurmountable challenge to many people, how can policymakers respond to encourage individuals to make their lifestyles sustainable?

In this installment of the SMF and ESRC Ask the Expert seminar series, Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh (Cardiff University) outlined recent research into how carefully-considered policies that advocate behavioral changes and give cause for optimism in the fight to combat climate change.Research from Cardiff University shows that how we communicate, who and what we focus on in our interventions, and getting the timing right are all fundamental for encouraging sustainable behaviours.