About the Conference
This conference explored the role of changing lifestyles in climate change mitigation. Decreasing energy demand and promoting more sustainable consumption patterns are regarded as key elements for limiting global warming to 1.5 °C. However, the study of the lifestyle changes required for such purpose has received limited academic attention to date. As is tradition at ICTA-UAB, this conference brought together researchers from different academic disciplines to address and discuss the impacts, drivers and policies of low-carbon lifestyles. #ICTA2020 #LowCarbonLifestyles
About the Topic
Moving towards low-carbon lifestyles: a question of collective action
Our way of life must change if we want to avoid climate breakdown — but how much can we do as individuals? Ahead of the upcoming conference, Joël Foramitti, Lorraine Whitmarsh and Angela Druckman have outlined a roadmap.
The Keynote Speakers
Conference Themes
Drivers
What are the social, economic, and psychological drivers of carbon-intensive lifestyles?
This theme aims to increase our understanding of why we choose certain lifestyles, and how our decisions depend on our social norms and institutions. Contributions using comparative approaches are also welcome, to highlight how the question of lifestyles differs between different social classes, countries and cultures.
Impacts
What is the mitigation potential of different lifestyle changes?
This theme aims to quantify the environmental impact of different ways of living. We want to understand what changes matter most for a transition to a low-carbon society. We also invite contributions that investigate related problems of environmental accounting, the ‘rebound effect’, and environmental problem shifting.
Policies
How can low-carbon lifestyles be promoted through public policy?
The interest of the final theme is to analyze the impact of demand-side policies. We look for models and empirical research that examine the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of such policies, as well as other possible side-effects. Contributions focusing on political and public support or opposition of policies are also welcome.
Recordings
Lorraine Whitmarsh – Mainstreaming low-carbon lifestyles
Social Values & Cultural Context
Mobility Behaviours
Angela Druckman – What have we learnt about sustainable lifestyles from C-19? A focus on jobs in health & social care
Lifestyle Scenarios
Carbon Footprints
Regional Impacts
Academic Practices
Céline Guivarch – The role of lifestyle changes in pathways compatible with climate change mitigation goals and development goals
Roadmaps & Visions
Effects of Climate Policies
Policy Experiments
Policy Acceptability
Thanks to everyone who helped organizing!
Verónica Arcas Pilz; Oriol Baeza Martinez; Jeroen van den Bergh; Rebekah Breding; Fulvia Calcagni; Esteve Corbera; Stefan Drews; Filippos Exadaktylos; Joël Foramitti; Xavier Gabarrell; Alexandra García Gutiérrez; Maite Jiménez Batista; Franziska Klein; Théo Konc; Isabel Lopera Martínez; Graham Mortyn; Nick Martin; Maica Nogales Malagón; Felipe Parada; Ivan Savin; Aljoša Slameršak; Ana Terra Maia; Patrizia Ziveri
About the Institute
The Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA) is a multidisciplinary centre that promotes academic research and postgraduate education in the environmental sciences. It aims to improve our understanding of global environmental change, and the nature and causes of environmental problems. In addition, it studies policies, strategies and technologies to foster a transition to a sustainable economy.
Partners
This conference was funded by the ICTA-UAB “Maria de Maetzu’ Unit of Excellence (MDM2015-0552). We further acknowledge the support by the ERC advanced-grant project EVOCLIM: Behavioral-evolutionary analysis of climate policy (grant agreement 741087), a scholarship from “la Caixa” Foundation (ID 100010434, 258 LCF/BQ/IN17/11620039), and the Catalan governmental agency AGAUR.
