Public policy in the richest countries regarding environmental protection is currently based on ‘monetising’ nature – regarding it as a form of capital. The UK government tries to tackle climate change using a multitude of approaches however; the most effective ones to influence pro-environmental behaviour in the long term are yet to be found.

At present, there is still a lot of work to be done in figuring out the motivational factors and circumstances, which lead to the ‘right’ actions that will guarantee a sustainable world for our future generations.

In the meantime, the UK government tries pursuing people to change their unsustainable lifestyle using financial incentives, nudging and population segmentation.

OUR COMMON FUTURE UNDER CLIMATE CHANGE

International Scientific Conference

7th -10th July 2015 Paris, FRANCE

Does the Public Policy for Influencing Pro-environmental Behaviour in the Developed Countries

Take Into Account People’s Common Future Under Climate Change?

Ph.D. Lavinia Ioana UDREA l.i.udrea@keele.ac.uk

School of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy

Keele University, United Kingdom.

Abstract A great need for feedback

These three approaches give people strong reasons to take the ‘right’ actions in the short term; however, when the incentives are stopped, they need to find by themselves the motivation to act pro-environmentally.

A lot of green initiatives fail to achieve the set objectives because environmental and "climate change problems are silent” however, we can see the consequences of unsustainable behaviour everywhere around us.

In this sense, the governmental body needs to become more transparent when it comes to the harmful consequences of peoples’ actions and institutions' unsustainable decisions. When actors have access to information, they are capable to understand their harmful behaviours and feel empowered to question government’s action plans and pressure it to implement the best environmental policies that are in alignment with their needs.

In order for people to adopt a pro-environmental behaviour in the long term, the government must facilitate the contexts for them to become aware of their unsustainable daily actions.

Hence, I will discuss the top three most used UK governmental approaches to motivate people to adopt a pro-environmental behaviour.

Access to information

Not all people have access to information regarding environmental issues or are part of a context where environmental protection is a main priority.

Therefore, individuals need to be provided with the necessary information and have the specific infrastructure at hand in order to adopt a sustainable lifestyle and take the ‘right’ actions.

At present, it seems easier to convince people to act pro-environmentally by working with their short term motivations for action, than helping them adopt sustainable habits in the long-term.

As a result, the current UK governmental approaches to influencing pro-environmental behaviour have a negative impact on people’s behaviour and might perhaps weaken their sense of moral responsibility towards nature, in the context of environmental degradation.

Conclusion

Key References

At present, the UK government makes a lot of effort to fight for environmental protection and tackle climate change using a multitude of strategies and approaches.

However, not all pro-environmental initiatives implemented set a straightforward connection between the environmental values people have and the human responsibility to protect the natural world. Therefore, if people do not understand and assume the change they need to make, they will not acquire environmental attitudes to motivate them to act pro-environmentally in the future.

Moreover, I state that environmental ethics are not often mentioned in the debate about influencing human action for climate change mitigation; even though morality can be for the majority of us, a behaviour regulator that can motivate us to take the ‘right’ actions.

Whatever the reason, there is not a lot of interest to bring to attention the interdependent relationship between human beings and the environment. Thus, many pro-environmental projects are implemented without having the discussion about what people’s duties and responsibilities towards the environment are.

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DEFRA (2008) A Framework for pro-Environmental Behaviours. [online] DEFRA. Available

from:<https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/69277/pb13574-behaviours-report-080110.pdf> [Accessed 15th April 2014].

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Public policy tool 1 - Financial incentives The UK government uses financial incentives to influence people to adopt behaviours that are in alignment with its environmental objectives and targets. People take action being financial incentivized, without understanding the benefits of adopting a pro-environmental behaviour. It has been shown that economic factors and financial incentives are strong motivators for influencing people to take environmental actions. Public policy tool 2 – Nudging Supporters of regulating behaviour through nudging and choice architecture argue against financial incentives because they seem to influence people’s choices using a punishment/reward system. On the other hand, choice architects design nudges, which do not limit people’s free choice but offer ‘default options’ which are designed in conformity with what the government recommends to be the ‘right’ actions that people should take for the sake of present and future generations. Public policy tool 3 – Population Segmentation It is a social marketing strategy to encourage pro-environmental behaviour. This approach divides the UK population in seven segments in order to find the most effective ways to address people with different backgrounds and help them change their unsustainable habits. Thus, the reason why DEFRA sets classes of consumers taking into consideration their willingness and ability to act pro-environmentally is to obtain the best possible results while engaging people of all social strata.

Discussion Approach and Methodology

There is a great need for feedback as a response to the unsustainable actions that people take. One of the most difficult issues environmental protection faces at present is the lack of responsibility individuals are willing to take for the consequences of their behaviour. People need to become aware of the invisible, long term effects of harmful habits that affect nature and the others around them.

In order to help people become sincerely concerned about the surrounding environment, the government needs to be willing to offer constantly constructive feedback to the people in regards to the unsustainable habits that need to be changed.

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