'Selling' meat consumption reduction policies to the public to help achieve the UK's Paris Agreement targets
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: School of Geography
Abstract
Aim 1: The first aim of this PhD research would be to explore how to prevent consumer lock-in and how to 'sell' meat consumption reduction for each group identified, ahead of possible policy intervention using social marketing and behavioural change techniques.
Objectives:
Collection of audience insights - their motivations and barriers to change, best messengers, what competition is available, and audience segmentation. This information would be collected by structured interviews (details below)
Exploring the best tools to tackle changing embedded social norms and habits
Examples of past successes alongside case studies e.g., smoking, plastic bags etc
Aim 2: The second aim would be to look at which meat reduction policy ideas would be the most acceptable to the public, and could help the UK achieve their carbon targets for 2030.
Objectives:
Research recommended policy approaches specific to each identified group and evaluate each using the Brundtland 'Three Pillars of Sustainability' model; social, environmental, economic and with an ethical element added as suggested by Smith, J., et al., (2016).
Social: would explore the public's willingness to accept the policy by evaluating the social norm (using the interview results) and how it would affect the individual, and would also look at the overlap into the health policy field by reviewing if each approach would aide UK health targets
Environmental: the forecasted carbon savings for each measure would be researched using a modelling approach (the student following the economics subject area under SER may be able to advise)
Economic: exploring the economic impact to farmers, businesses, consumers, and the Treasury. Data collected from the interviews, and would also cover the political willingness towards any change
Ethical: Will the approach impact on local jobs? Do consumers have enough knowledge about the complexity of sustainable food and animal welfare issues? Will there be additional costs to the consumer?
Objectives:
Collection of audience insights - their motivations and barriers to change, best messengers, what competition is available, and audience segmentation. This information would be collected by structured interviews (details below)
Exploring the best tools to tackle changing embedded social norms and habits
Examples of past successes alongside case studies e.g., smoking, plastic bags etc
Aim 2: The second aim would be to look at which meat reduction policy ideas would be the most acceptable to the public, and could help the UK achieve their carbon targets for 2030.
Objectives:
Research recommended policy approaches specific to each identified group and evaluate each using the Brundtland 'Three Pillars of Sustainability' model; social, environmental, economic and with an ethical element added as suggested by Smith, J., et al., (2016).
Social: would explore the public's willingness to accept the policy by evaluating the social norm (using the interview results) and how it would affect the individual, and would also look at the overlap into the health policy field by reviewing if each approach would aide UK health targets
Environmental: the forecasted carbon savings for each measure would be researched using a modelling approach (the student following the economics subject area under SER may be able to advise)
Economic: exploring the economic impact to farmers, businesses, consumers, and the Treasury. Data collected from the interviews, and would also cover the political willingness towards any change
Ethical: Will the approach impact on local jobs? Do consumers have enough knowledge about the complexity of sustainable food and animal welfare issues? Will there be additional costs to the consumer?
Organisations
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ES/P000673/1 | 01/10/2017 | 30/09/2027 | |||
| 1952683 | Studentship | ES/P000673/1 | 01/10/2017 | 30/04/2022 | Ruth Buckley Salmon |
| Description | Research within meat consumption reduction is widespread, however there is scarce research regarding policy implementation. From whhat I can ascertain, my research is the first to find 15 possible government policies, and the first to assess all 15 together. Many government reports have requested inter-disciplinary research into how individual behaviour change can help reduce the UK's GHG emissions. Additionally, research has called for a inter-disciplinary policy framework. The findings of this research so far are using individual motivations to promote change, that a framework needs flexibility for different target audiences, and that students are an ideal target test audience. |
| Exploitation Route | My research would work well in concert with research looking into meat production reduction policy implementation, and other general behaviour change actions for reduced GHG emissions. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Description | The article I co-authored with Prof. Ray Monk in the New Statesman used some of the findings and will be read by many from a non-academic background. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal,Policy & public services |
| Description | Kerry McCarthy, MP |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | Presented my Research to the Vegan Researchers Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I presented my research to attendees at the first ever vegan researchers network research day in Newcastle |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |