Transcript Footsteps – Top Ten Pledges

Climate change: Identifying influences that provoke environmental activism
1. Introduction
This research explores the connectivity between interpretations of
climate change and environmental activism, in a bid to aid the global
challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, starting at a local
scale.
A small database was created to invite 672 people to take part in a fourmonth project, the Footsteps to Copenhagen Project (FTCP), in Truro,
Cornwall, in a bid to mobilise people to support Ministers attending the
United Nations Earth Summit in Copenhagen December, 2009.
3. Methodology
After the FTCP, the database primarily offered an opportunity to
survey the roots of individuals everyday habits and consideration for
climate change. This enabled a chance to explore if people wished to
continue making space in their lives for an extended period of
communication, interaction & participation in the research.
The second stage provided further opportunity to observe how the
public would respond to logical & appropriate gaps in the related
literature. The analysis was designed to reveal the key features in
the responses, to understand why they existed and by what
mechanisms they were produced, to aid understanding of how
situations may or may not lead to activism (Oliver, 2010).
4. Experiences and data used
The third stage invited participants to read an article, listen to a
podcast and watch a short film, chosen by informed decisions based
on the related literature. A fortnight later, divided into two groups,
(A) Landscape, (B) IPCC, they attended a lecture and discussion at
the University of Exeter Cornwall Campus.
2. Research Questions
(1) What causes people to change, accept and take action on climate
change (in parts, or as a whole)?
(2) Does learning about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC) change how people feel about what they already know
about climate change?
(3) Does thinking about the impacts of climate change on local
landscapes alter how people feel about what they already know about
climate change?
(4) To what extent does regular exposure to new, positive, engaging,
activism-provoking education create robust carbon cutting,
measurable action?
5. Results
(1) Tracing roots of original inspirations revealed long-term in-built
tendencies to reduce personal impact on the environment.
(2&3) Participants found lectures interesting, inspiring and felt more
connected to the complicated mechanics of the IPCC process or the
climate in their backyard. Little connection was made about climate
change and managing risks where participants live.
(4) The series of ‘experiences’, encouraged people to act, inspired by
experiencing different ideas and learning about the source of their
creation, via the peer review process.
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6. Analysis
Three themes emerged from the results that enabled personal effort ;
1. Reassurance that endorsed the work people do already, to keep the
ongoing carbon-reduced lifestyle a choice worth making.
2. Responsibility fashioned by influence.
3. Representation from trusted messengers, their presence,
information and imagery. Within this realm, delivery of clear simple,
clear messages, through experience within a stage where all are
invited to participate, air views and learn by experience.
7. Conclusions
Activism: In-kind help from Truro Cathedral and Cornwall Council, a
passionate committee, £6k, followed by 10 emails enabled 4488 carbon
cutting actions*, with little effort. In comparison, carbon capture and
storage, is estimated to cost €30-90 per tonne of carbon (McKinsey
Report 2007). 28% of the original FTCP database, not affiliated to other
groups used the Top Ten Pledges (100%) & signed the Declaration (92%).
No new carbon-cutting activism occurred within the final group, however
climate related behaviour became enhanced.
Future research could explore: pledge experiences, carbon value,
religious significance, off-line pledge activity, continued pledging
including personal risk assessment, effects on memory and finally up
scaling FTCP.
8. References
Film Image: Climate Change Hearings - Ursula Rakova Carteret Islands http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9j7lONet5s Accessed 18/08/11
Film Image: Changing Climate Changing Business http://vimeo.com/4077089 Accessed 10/12/09
Film Image: E-Day 2009: Dr Stephan Harrison: Sea level rise in South West UK http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q82KYzH6Fwo Accessed 01/11/09
McKinsey Report, (2007). Carbon Capture & Storage: Assessing the Economics http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/file.php/1080/Mckinsey_2007_ccs_assessing_the_economics.pdf Accessed 14/04/11
Oliver, P. (2010). Understanding the Research Process. University of Huddersfield. SAGE Publications Ltd. Chap 1 & 2