The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) noted increasing greenhouse gas concentrations and discernible human influence on global change. Limiting the changing global climate will require policies, programmes, and measures to deploy new mitigation technologies and entrepreneurial opportunities. The social, behavioural, and cultural changes, however, are poorly understood at present. Traditional conceptual frameworks for mitigation assessment do not sufficiently take into account social and psychological factors such as individual motivation and personality (e.g., convenience, fun culture, social prestige), communication, and decision patterns within administrations and companies, or cultural traditions and life styles of societal groups. Therefore, this book focuses on these aspects and related conceptual frameworks for mitigation assessment. Its aim is to encourage and develop more effective mitigation policies worldwide, to assist marketing aspects of energy service companies, technology producers, and utilities in gaining better understanding of their customers' decisions, and to provide material for relevant courses at universities and other research institutions.
Preface. Introduction. Incorporating Behavioural, Social, and Organizational Phenomena in the Assessment of Climate Change Mitigation Options; J.A.S. Laitner, et al. Cultural Discourses in the Global Climate Change Debate; S. Ney, M. Thompson. Consumption, Motivation and Choice Across Scale: Consequences For Selected Target Groups; M. Thompson. The Legacy of Twenty Years of Energy Demand Management: we know more about Individual Behaviour but next to Nothing about Demand; H. Wilhite, et al. Group Identity, Personal Ethics and Sustainable Development Suggesting New Directions for Social Marketing Research; J. Moisander. European Narratives about Human Nature, Society and the Good Life; L. Michaelis. Gender-Specific Patterns of Poverty and (Over-)Consumption in Developing and Developed Countries; M. Hemmati. Climate Change and Relative Consumption; R.B. Howarth. Social Interactions and Conditions for Change in Energy-Related Decision-Making in SMCs -- an empirical socio-economic analysis; S. Ramesohl. Motivation and decision criteria for energy efficiency in private households, companies and administrations in Russia; I. Gritsevich. List of Editors and Authors. List of Reviewers, Rapporteurs, and Discussants.