Climate and ecological change: Behaviour change for sustainability
Introduction
In 2019 we declared a climate and ecological emergency with our target to become a Net Zero Carbon Neutral Council by 2030. Taking this action will create healthier environments, lower energy costs for residents and businesses, boosting business and community resilience, and enhance access to nature - all while supporting local jobs.
Delivering these benefits for residents and businesses will require behaviour change from council services, staff, and residents as we will need to take daily decisions differently and build new habits and ways of doing things across all levels of society. This will include how services are delivered, how staff travel and use resources, and how residents engage with energy, transport, waste, and nature in their communities.
It can sound a lot, but behaviour change techniques have been used successfully for many years in public health through campaigns such as stopping smoking or increasing people’s exercise. Behaviour change techniques seek to remove barriers to healthier, happier and more resilient lives.
Behaviour change can be especially difficult when encouraging more sustainable choices , because the benefits of these actions may not be immediate.
The COM-B Model for Behavior Change
It is recommended that local authorities use the COM-B model of Behaviour Change.
The COM-B model (external website) seeks to find the physical and psychological barriers someone faces to changing their behaviour and removing them. By removing the these the person than has the opportunity and capability, which brings motivation to change their behaviour. Reflective motivation means someone has to think about the behaviour before they can do it, whereas automatic motivation happens without any thought process.
Behaviour change projects
Using our Influence
Local authorities only have control over 3 to 5% of carbon emissions but can influence around 35% of local emissions.
- The team have created engagement activities so that they are able to attend community events with the public and staff events.
- Resource documents have been produced for schools to use in lessons, assemblies or during other activities.
- Our active travel team works with engineers, schools and community members to support healthier travel to and from schools.
Staff training
Staff training in carbon literacy and nature recovery is an important aspect of behaviour change. It ensures all staff has access to the same information and are able to apply that knowledge to their everyday work.
- We have now trained all our cabinet councillors and SLT in Carbon Literacy via APSE.
- All staff have can complete e-learning for carbon reduction and nature recovery.
Staff commuting
We have a target to reduce staff commuting emissions by 20% before 2030. Information on our progress is sent to Welsh Government each year.
- We have conducted a large survey of staff across the authority to understand how staff commute and barriers they have to sustainable commuting.
- The survey information will be used to make service specific commuting plans.
Sustainable travel can improve staff physical health and improve health across the county by reducing vehicle emissions.
School competitions
Postcards From The Future competition
Through the competition we asked young people to imagine their futures, positive or negative. They gave us some very strong visions, many including hope but with an equal amount of worry including messages of the need to change actions now to ensure the future.
Young people often feel their views are not listened to by decision makers, and this project gave them the chance to have their say.
Wildflower Meadow Photography
Our Wildflower Meadow Photography Competition encouraged young people to take photographs on our wildflower meadow areas, a school meadow site or nature reserve.
Being in nature has proven mental and physical health benefits while providing a learning environment which is away from a classroom.