We were delighted to gather for our annual CAST Assembly at The University of Manchester last week, and the Manchester Art Gallery, bringing together our incredible team of social scientists from across the UK to reflect on the impact we have achieved over the past year 👏
Are radical changes to lifestyles necessary for mitigating climate change?
New article in @dialoguescc.bsky.social by @lwhitmarsh.bsky.social and @samhampton.bsky.social journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....
A graphic featuring a quote from CAST Director, Prof Lorraine Whitmarsh MBE, on the UK’s first public participation plan on climate change. On the left, there is a circular photo of Lorraine holding an open book against a window. Below the photo is the logo for the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST), which includes a circular design and the text “Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations.” On the right, the quote reads: "The publication of the UK’s first public participation plan on climate change is a landmark moment that recognises people-power can accelerate fair and effective climate action that brings wider benefits to society. CAST has played a key role in the plan’s development and will support its delivery.”
Big news: The UK Government has published its first #PublicParticipationPlan on climate change & nature 📣
We welcome this as an important first step to involve, inspire & empower Brits to tackle climate change & protect nature.
Read the plan: www.gov.uk/government/p...
Key thoughts thread 🧵
To kick off, a study by Hettie Moorcroft, @samhampton.bsky.social and @lwhitmarsh.bsky.social, handled by @mfair.bsky.social:
"Climate change and wealth: understanding and improving the carbon capability of the wealthiest people in the UK"
🔗 journals.plos.org/climate/arti...
#PLOSClimateCountdown
At today’s National Emergency Briefing, Chris Packham delivered a clear message: act now. Decision-makers must step up and tackle the climate crisis before it’s too late. Add your signature to the open letter to Keir Starmer.
#climatecrisis #neb2025 #netzero
www.nebriefing.org/open-letter-keir
‘Taking action is not a sacrifice, it’s not even a problem, taking action is the opportunity here’ @zackpolanski.bsky.social
Add your signature to the open letter to Keir Starmer and all public service broadcasters.
www.nebriefing.org/open-letter-keir
#climatecrisis #netzero #NEB2025 #cop30
New research by @kaloyanmitev.bsky.social, @lwhitmarsh.bsky.social, @meridethgattis.bsky.social and Nicholas Nash reinforces the value of designing timely, targeted interventions during key life transitions to encourage sustainable lifestyle change 👇
journals.plos.org/climate/arti...
In an article for The Conversation, CAST Director, Prof Lorraine Whitmarsh MBE & affiliate Dr Sam Hampton, talk about the science behind new research on why people with positive attitudes to the environment are more likely to turn off their lights and save energy. 💡
Read the article 👇
CAST/ISCC PhD Studentship alert: "Integrated behavioural-technological solutions for sustainable campus accommodation"📣
This PhD will focus on #MomentsOfChange or transition points. You'll also be working with our CAST Director, Prof Lorraine Whitmarsh MBE.
Deadline: 2 Nov 2025
Apply now 👇
Why some people turn off the lights, and others don’t
theconversation.com/why-some-peo...
@cast-centre.bsky.social @samhampton.bsky.social
Though for people living in food deserts fresh fruit and veg isn’t always readily available. And some people don’t feel they have confidence to cook veggie meals. So while not insurmountable there are some barriers to healthy planetary diets
@cast-centre.bsky.social @tyndallcentre.bsky.social @bath-iscc.bsky.social
Key message from our new report: cutting methane is "the *fastest & most cost-effective lever* to slow warming within our lifetimes".
And behavioural change is central to this - making plant-based food more accessible and cheaper; and changing choice environments to cut food waste.
@cast-centre.bsky.social @uniofbath.bsky.social @uniofbathnews.bsky.social @tyndallcentre.bsky.social
😊 Delighted to announce I'll be a Lead Author for ch.8 of @ipcc.bsky.social's Seventh Assessment Report, alongside 663 experts from 111 countries, as part of Working Group III.
Analysis by @carbonbrief.org shows increasing diversity of IPCC authorship: tinyurl.com/462pvby9
#IPCC #ClimateReport
#InTheNews: The British Psychological Society ( @bpsofficial.bsky.social ) has launched its first fully #OpenAccess journal — Environmental Psychology Research — in partnership with Wiley!
#EnvironmentalPsychology #ClimateAction #PsychScience #greensky @lwhitmarsh.bsky.social
What does 'social transformation' really mean, and what does it look like in practice?
Our CAST Director, Prof Lorraine Whitmarsh MBE (@lwhitmarsh.bsky.social), explains in The Conversation UK's (@uk.theconversation.com) latest addition to its #ClimateDictionary series.
Watch the 3-minute video 👇
Last week, our CAST Director Prof Lorraine Whitmarsh MBE (@lwhitmarsh.bsky.social) gave evidence to Parliament as part of an inquiry into building public support for the UK's #CleanEnergy transition, drawing on multiple CAST briefings & papers.
Read the full story 👇 www.bath.ac.uk/announcement...
ABSTRACT Under the long-standing backdrop of the climate crisis, would communication about acute energy crises encourage the public’s support for policies facilitating the adoption of renewable energy technologies? Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, we conducted a survey experiment in the United Kingdom (N = 2,760) in early 2024 to test the effects of three messages (energy affordability, energy independence, climate change vs. control) aimed to encourage support for renewable adoption policies. We find that across all respondents, the climate-change and energy-affordability messages increase policy support, while the effect of the energy-independence message is nonsignificant. The energy independence message increased policy support among the political center-right but not among the political left; it also increased policy support among those not concerned about climate change, but not among the climate-concerned. Contrary to expectations, the energy affordability message increased policy support among moderate-to-high-income respondents but not low-income respondents.
New article!
From climate crisis to energy crisis: foster public support for renewable energy transition through framing by Catherine Y. Chen, @vreben.bsky.social, @lwhitmarsh.bsky.social & Cäzilia Loibl
doi.org/10.1080/0964...
📢 Very happy to share our newest article! Thanks to all my co-authors for the amazing work 😍: Catherine Chen (cathchen.com), @lwhitmarsh.bsky.social, Caezilia Loibl (u.osu.edu/loibl.3/) www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
🤔 How do we drive large-scale systems change? Join @nam.edu & global leaders to explore the structural levers—from capital & governance to narrative & culture—that can move us from climate-health ambition to action.
Learn more & register at nam.edu/event/the-ho....
@cast-centre.bsky.social
Mass mobilisation to give voice to the ‘silent majority’ who want climate action: www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Today, the CCC published its "Progress in reducing emissions – 2025 report to Parliament", revealing that the UK is making progress on #ClimateAction, but the scale and pace of change are still lagging behind what is required. ❌🌍
Read our blog post: cast.ac.uk/blog/what-do...
Key takeaways thread🧵
❗The world must break its $7 trillion fossil fuel subsidy habit if we are to achieve net zero❗
Our latest report helps policymakers ensure their sustainability targets contribute to national interests and support inclusive economic growth while moving away from fossil fuel reliance.
Eggcellent to finally be in Vilnius for #ICEP2025! I must say the 3 days by train and bus weren’t bad at all: got to see interesting places and meet nice people, and get lots of work done. And only marginally more expensive than flying. Excited for some good env psych chat for the next few days 🤓
Day 3 - somewhere in Poland on an 8 hour bus journey - final leg of epic #nofly trip to #ICEP2025 from Bristol to Vilnius. So happy the bus just stopped so we could get coffee! Also, not alone now - a few other ICEP-ers with me ☺️
Half way there! I can tell I’m in Germany because of the wind turbines and train delays. But laptop’s plugged in so at least I’m getting lots done :) #nofly #ICEP2025
Made it to Brussels! That’s the easy bit done…
Cheerio Bristol! Start of a 3-day no-fly trip to Vilnius, Lithuania for #ICEP2025!! Fingers crossed the rail gods smile on me :) @cast-centre.bsky.social
Interested in earning £30 to chat about holidays? Of course you are! More details here....
