"Selling Sustainability" Seven Lessons from Advertising and Marketing to Sell Low Carbon Living

Addressing the climate change issue will require millions of individuals to change their everyday behaviour, from the power they use at home, to how they travel; 40% of UK greenhouse gases come directly from individual behaviour. Whilst governments, businesses and non-governmental organisations have increasingly attempted to engage the public with the issue of climate change, there is little evidence of significant behaviour change to reduce emissions. This report suggests that the climate change communications agenda needs to move beyond raising awareness to actually effecting behaviour change, which may require the use of a social marketing approach. Campaigns may be more successful if they avoid being 'miserable' and instead emphasise that taking action on climate change is 'normal', if they recognise the importance of fairness with everyone being seen to be doing their bit, if they are personally relevant, and if they identify opportunities for individuals in taking action. Future campaigns should embrace a new set of positive principles to influence behaviour change.