sustainability-10-01357.pdf (242.74 kB)
Talking about climate change mitigation: people’s views on different levels of action
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 13:02 authored by Sarah Becker, Paul SparksPrevious research has examined public views on climate change and pro-environmental behaviour; however, there has been little focus on in-depth qualitative examination of views on mitigation strategies carried out by different social actors. This paper examines how people discuss strategies to mitigate climate change and the relative responsibilities of individuals, the UK government and corporations. Twenty people were interviewed about what they thought should be done to reduce the degree of climate change. Three main themes in their responses are identified: (1) representations of climate change, (2) responsibility for action, and (3) opposing environmental and economic interests. Overall, there was support for a variety of climate change mitigation strategies. There was some emphasis on individual behaviour change combined with suggestions about greater information provision and the importance of personal choice. Although some participants criticised economic and profit-oriented structures, there was a strong sense among participants that change in this regard was unlikely. An expansion of examples of alternative strategies to address climate change could contribute towards transcending individualised approaches, and accentuate perceptions of possibilities for significant social change.
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- Published
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- Published version
Journal
SustainabilityISSN
1937-0695Publisher
MDPIExternal DOI
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5Volume
10Page range
1357Department affiliated with
- Psychology Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2018-04-24First Open Access (FOA) Date
2018-06-06First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2018-04-24Usage metrics
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