SUMMARY‘LOW CARBON LONDONCHANGING BEHAVIOUR’Charles Secrett
Special Advisor to The Mayor’s Office and Visit London
Board Member of the London Development Agency
14th February 2008
For the Japan-UK 3rd Low Carbon Society Workshop‘Roadmap to the Low Carbon World’Tokyo.
From: Personal Research and The Mayor’s London Climate Change Action Plan – 2007.
1) There are many opportunities to reduce household carbon dioxide emissions – sowhy don t people do them?! E.G. Switching off lights/appliances at home andoffice by all Londoners could reduce annual CO2 emissions by 2.3 million tonnes;
if all light bulbs were energy efficient, London would save 575,000 tonnes of CO2
and £139 million from energy bills (2006 prices) per year; if Londoners bought themost fuel-efficient/lowest CO2 car in their preferred class of vehicle CO2 emissions
would fall by 30% in this sector.
2) Mind sets: negative public attitudes to climate change = major blocks to personalchange. People as citizens and consumers are confused – who can I trust? Whichscientists, media, politicians, companies, contractors?); cynical – why bother?
Where’s the leadership?; Unknowledgeable – climate change is all natural isn’t it?
Feel powerless – what difference can I make? Apathetic – nothing to do with me –it’s someone else’s problem.
3) The Challenge 1 – how to turn widespread citizen/consumer aspirations to begreener into actions that matter. In UK, people now believe a sustainable home is:modern (90%); attractive (72%); hi-tech (79%); fashionable (78%); good value formoney (72%). BUT while 90% of people broadly accept the science, and 70% saythey are willing to change – ONLY 20% are changing carbon behaviour slightly(buying local food, recycling, driving car less) and only 5% changing significantly.
4) The Challenge 2 – turning positive public attitudes into building critical politicalmass: people also demonstrate that they believe the scientists and there is (just)enough time; that we’re all in this together – let’s work together; the solutions
exist and we’ve got the money and resources – what’s missing is political will andwe can overcome that; cutting carbon emissions will bring me and my familypractical and financial benefits in the here and now; tackling climate change is a
moral imperative – to improve the livelihoods of billions (and especially the poor);that we need to safeguard Earth for future generations and look after LIFE itself;
and recognise that millions of people, hundreds of thousands of organisations,and thousands of State and local authorities are working the world over to cut
carbon emissions and waste.
5) The biggest Block to stimulating low carbon lifestyles and company behaviour ismarket and policy-based: as long as it is cheap, convenient and legal to waste
carbon and natural resources, then that is what the great majority of individuals,
households and companies will do.
6) The second biggest Block is that too many aspirational climate-changers DON’T
trust: Government – expected to take the lead, but shows little urgency or action –1

there is no enabling policy framework (yet) - climate taxes seen as excuse just totax + not deal with problem or strengthen known solutions (e.g. UK air levy);
Other people – the free-rider problem … ‘if I drive or fly less, how do I know others
will as well?’; Other countries – especially major emitters like USA, China andIndia to curb their emissions (‘President Bush refuses to act – why should we?’;‘they build masses of coal-fired power stations – why shouldn’t I drive a gasguzzler?).
7) Changing carbon-heavy behaviour ultimately means changing: Attitudes; Values;Beliefs; AND, MARKETS.
8) What works to change behaviour?
• Laws and Regulations to ban/restrict unsustainable carbon-heavy behaviour(e.g. mandatory high energy efficiency for buildings and vehicles)• Polluter Pays Levies and Charges – if revenues are recycled into building up
low carbon solutions - infrastructure, technologies, products (e.g. congestioncharge)• Financial Incentives – low (or no) taxes, grants, discounts and rewards for low
carbon products, services, choices and behaviours (for consumers andcompanies)• Focused Advice and Assistance programmes that are convenient to access foruser, and help them to find, buy and use quality and affordable low carbon andenergy saving products and vehicles; and, for renewables and resource savingproducts.
• Widely available information on problems, causes and solutions (especiallywhich help individuals, families companies in short-term)• Exemplar Best Practice – ‘seeing is believing’ (e.g. best practice new zero-low
carbon and waste housing and retrofitted buildings)• Partnerships across public, private, domestic and voluntary sectors• Respected Champions• Coordinated, collaborative and demonstrable international action to curb GHG
emissions (e.g. C.40 Large Cities Climate Change Initiative)9) What doesn’t work …
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Endlessly highlighting the problems of environmental degradation andunsustainable behaviour
Facts and figures on their own – data is not enoughMoralising and exhortations
Official pronouncements about what should be done, without the right enabling
policy framework (regulations; fiscal; planning guidelines; procurement)10) The London Climate Change Action Plan is primarily a sustainable DEVELOPMENT
plan, based on an enabling framework designed to:
1. Deliver needed economic and social benefits – tens of thousands of skilled andlow-skilled jobs … inward investment … lower resource costs for households andcompanies … boosting the City as a financial centre through carbon trading
markets … increased efficiency, innovation and modernisation … higher quality oflife … a cleaner, more live-able city
2. Create Partnerships – between public, private, voluntary and domestic sectors
3. Integrated cross-sector action in energy, waste, transport, buildings
4. Create the conditions for businesses, communities and families to act
5. Maintain standards of living (and improving for disadvantaged)
6. Best science-driven targets and a long-term perspective211) The LCCAP is based on four new programmes to help Londoners and businesseschange behaviour and reduce emissions:•A Green Homes Programme
E.G. Green Information programme – DIY Planet; Public advice scheme (web;telephone, counter); The Green Homes Service (audit, advice and implementation
scheme for can-pay sector – saving 500,000 tonnes CO2 target by 2010)•

A Green Organisations Programme
E.G. The Better Buildings Partnership – audit, advice and awards scheme forproperty owners and developers; Green500 – audit, advice and awards scheme forcommercial tenants.

•A Green Energy Programme
E.G move away from centralised non-renewable energy production todecentralised energy systems based on energy efficiency, energy conservation,Combined Heat and Power, and renewables and micro-renewables – 25% by 2025.

•A Green Transport Programme
E.G. change the way Londoners travel (already modal shift of 4% away from car
use to public transport; operating vehicles more efficiently (Transport for London‘eco-driving’ scheme for 2008); promoting lower-carbon vehicles, infrastructureand fuels (e.g. congestion charge) = 4 million tonnes of carbon saved p.a. by 202512) There is an overwhelming need for government action and a new national policy
framework to meet our target 60% cut in CO2 emissions by 2025 (excluding aviation):
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Carbon pricing (mandatory cap-and-trade emissions market, including air travel;
carbon tax)
Regulatory and fiscal change to encourage and incentivise decentralised
energy/waste networks (CCHP + bio-gas from waste streams)
Incentives and penalties – polluter pays taxation + hypothecation
Planning and policy support for rapid shift to renewable power (wind, wave, tidal,solar) and energy efficiencies
Statutory reduction targets, based on best science
Trade-able national and personal carbon allowances/quotas13) SUMMARY: Imperatives to successfully change carbon-heavy behaviours
1. Long-term strategy with best science targets and policy drivers to transformmarkets to value zero/low carbon
2. Enabling policy framework of ‘carrots and sticks’ for companies and citizens(regulation; taxation; expenditure; procurement; planning policy)
3. Widespread public information, audit and assistance programmes for households
and companies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and resource waste4. Cheaper, more convenient and integrated low carbon solutions
5. Verifiable, coordinated and effective international action by countries and cities
6. Partnerships between sectors – public, private, domestic, voluntary
7. Integrated changes across economic sectors – especially financial, energy,transport, waste, buildings
8. Leadership – political, professional, personal.

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