Zero Carbon Britain: Using psychology to make it happen. Tim Valentine CAT Trustee Emeritus Professor of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London.

Psychological difficulties with climate change. Perceived as affecting places far away. Perceived as an effect far in the future. Changing our lifestyle is a threat to our social identity (e.g. a good car, freedom of personal transport, foreign travel makes us interesting). Recognising our responsibility for climate change triggers psychological defences: Diffusion of responsibility Culturally constructed silence Denial

Trivialising the extent of the action required Well-intentioned communication encouraging people to take simple actions, can give the impression that simple actions are all that is needed. Unplugging your phone charger when not in use. If every one of the 25 million mobile phone chargers in the UK was unplugged when not in use, it would save enough electricity to power 66,000 homes. I’m ‘doing my bit’ by unplugging my phone charger. Another way of expressing the same data is that it might save about 0.25% of your electricity consumption. From David MacKay (2009) Sustainable Energy without the hot air.

The first person to walk to both the south pole and the north pole. Robert Swan OBE Polar explorer The first person to walk to both the south pole and the north pole. "The greatest danger to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”

Intrinsic and extrinsic cultural values Social psychologists have identified a set of intrinsic values which underlie increased social and environmental concern: justice, broadmindedness, community, forgiveness, friends and family, self-development. An opposing set of extrinsic values undermine social and environmental concern: wealth, public image, social power, security. Facts play only a partial role in judgements and decisions. Emotion is often far more important. People are predisposed to reject information that challenge their identity and values.

“I have a dream” Martin Luther King Jr. 28th August 1963 One hundred years later.. Now is the time.. The fierce urgency of now.. We can never be satisfied.. I have a dream.. Let freedom ring..

Some guidelines for climate change communication: Be the change – reduce your own carbon footprint Break the silence – talk to friends and family about sustainability. Do it with friends, as a community group. Engage intrinsic values. Focus on big effects, not trivial actions. Share positive news, especially of local actions. Tell your story Do it now! Never forget the fierce urgency of now.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead, anthropologist.