Climate Outreach summarizes its study on renewables and energy efficiency in the U.K. by making a series of recommendations to be taken forward by citizens that want to have productive conversations with the wider British public.
WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE A LOOK:
This report presents the findings of the first qualitative research in Britain to explore its citizens’ attitudes toward renewable energy in detail. Based on the findings, Climate Outreach recommends four narratives and principles for holding productive conversations with people of centre-right values in the UK.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Four Narratives on Energy and Climate change:
Avoiding Waste is Common Sense – The idea that it is irresponsible to waste things from food, to resources, to energy.
-Avoiding waste is common sense
-Wasting is un-conservative
-Avoiding waste is something we can all agree on
Health & Quality of Life – This narrative was challenged when doubting that fixing leaky houses in Britain would improve the quality of life, save the lives of many people, and reduce energy costs.
-Quality of life
-Living a better life for less
-Having pride in your home
-Making links to climate change
Great British Energy -The idea that groups creating policies need to be driven by national decision making.
– Local democracy
– Taking a balanced approach
– Making local voices heard
– Self- sufficiency and homegrown British energy
The Smart Money – This finding has important implications for communicators using pro-business arguments for renewables.
– Renewables are an investment opportunity
– Not getting energy efficiency left behind by a change that is inevitable
– Divestment
– Renewables are mainstream not alternative
