Summary of the Challenge
We all use energy every day. From heating our homes and cooking dinner for the family, to watching our favourite series on TV and doing the laundry, we have constant energy needs. However, our high energy needs form part of the decarbonisation challenge; many sectors of society need to consume less in order to provide a good life for all within the planet’s limits.
Consumer behaviours are shaped by a range of factors, including personal health and wellbeing, as well as socio-economic factors that influence various social determinants of personal health. Cultural norms and practices also influence individual behaviour, as well as how we make decisions and our ways of thinking. These in turn shape whether individuals are more or less likely to adopt sustainable behaviours.
Understanding the ways in which policy can influence personal choices and individual behaviours is challenging but critical to achieving regional and global net-zero.
Our Response
This project examines the diverse factors that shape how people in South Yorkshire think and behave on a range of issues related to sustainable lives. The research will consist of surveys, interviews and round tables to build an understanding of consumer behaviours in South Yorkshire.
Research will be shaped by four core questions:
- What is the evidence for ‘energy decadence’ in South Yorkshire?
- How has the 'cost of living crisis' affected the attitudes of high energy users to their domestic energy consumption?
- What do high domestic energy users understand about the purpose and demands of climate change protests?
- What are the attitudes of high domestic energy users towards the domestic energy use of their neighbours?
