CAST briefings provide a concise summary of our research and its relevancy to climate change policies within the area of social transformations.
They align with key issues affecting social and behavioural change at scale in the public debate and provide specific policy recommendations and recommended courses of action for decision-makers.
They are intended to be a useful resource for academics, policy-makers and decision-makers working within the area of social transformations to help build rapid consent for net zero and minimise the risk of harmful backlash.
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CAST Briefing 35: Clamping down on fossil fuel advertising: What industry professionals want policymakers to know (and do)
January 2025
This briefing is for politicians and policymakers working on climate, media and communications.
CAST Briefing 34: Leading by example with low-carbon behaviours: how politicians, celebrities and business leaders can stimulate behaviour change and increase trust
December 2024
This briefing is aimed at politicians, policymakers, celebrities, company bosses and leaders of all kinds.
CAST Briefing 32: Navigating a new normal: adapting to rising temperatures in the UK
November 2024
This briefing is for policymakers, local authorities and governments across the UK.
CAST Briefing 33: When, how, and why do politicians engage with climate change? A systematic review
October 2024
This briefing is for politicians and other policymakers working on climate policy, as well as academics studying climate politics and policy making.
CAST Briefing 31: How Wales can speed up decarbonisation: Insights from transport and mobility, food and agriculture, and the circular and sharing economy
July 2024
This briefing is intended as a resource for the Welsh Government and those interested in the policy landscape of Wales. It summarises the findings from a series of workshops, organised by CAST, to appraise and evaluate the feasibility of a series of Welsh Government policies for reducing carbon emissions. This also explored the barriers and facilitators to action.
CAST Briefing 30: Who holds the power? Challenges and opportunities for Citizens’ Assemblies: A briefing for policymakers and practitioners
July 2024
This briefing highlights some of the key design features that need to be got right – in particular, regarding who gets to decide what the CA is about and what happens as a result of CAs. This briefing is based on a CAST report: CAST Guidelines: How can citizens’ assemblies help navigate the systemic transformations required by the polycrisis?
CAST Briefing 29: Five principles for good public engagement: How to get people involved in the climate conversation
July 2024
This briefing is aimed at politicians, policymakers and practitioners working to engage people with climate action and sustainable behaviour change. It draws on CAST’s extensive evidence base, as well as wider research.
CAST Briefing 28: How not to transform: Learning from the backlash against low-carbon heating policy in Germany
April 2024
This briefing is intended for academics and policymakers interested in climate policy backlash specifically concerning the decarbonisation of domestic heating.
CAST Briefing 27: “But we’re a meat-eating family”: Engaging environmentally concerned but politically distrustful groups on reducing meat and dairy
April 2024
This briefing is intended for practitioners, researchers, and community organisations working on encouraging low-carbon lifestyle changes related to food and diet, particularly with audiences who are more likely to identify as working class.
CAST Briefing 26: Public perceptions of climate change and policy action in the UK, China, Sweden and Brazil from 2020 – 2023
April 2024
This briefing note is intended as a resource for specialists, researchers, policymakers, and others interested in public perceptions of climate change in the UK, China, Sweden and Brazil.
CAST Briefing 25: Reducing domestic water use: learning from everyday routines: A briefing for policy makers and innovators
April 2024
This briefing note explores how insights from everyday life – particularly from research that investigates the diversity and complexity of people’s ordinary patterns of water use – can support impactful, systemic changes to reduce water demand and its associated energy use.
CAST Briefing 24: ‘Moments of Change’ for Low-Carbon Behaviour
March 2024
This briefing note is intended as a resource for decision-makers and other stakeholders who aim to improve the design and implementation of climate policy.
CAST Briefing 23: How can you change sustainability behaviours in your workplace?
February 2024
This briefing note is a resource for businesses and organisations of any size that want to help employees be more sustainable at work.
CAST Briefing 22: Academic researchers’ perceptions of climate action in UK universities: A briefing for the university sector
January 2024
This briefing note is intended as a resource for all those working in the university sector.
CAST Briefing 21: How public engagement can support reducing car use: A briefing for policy makers and communicators
January 2023
This briefing note from Climate Outreach and the Centre for Climate and Social Transformations (CAST) is aimed at policymakers and summarises key evidence on the social, cultural and communication challenges in reducing car usage.
CAST Briefing 20: How can politicians avoid a net-zero backlash? The role of public engagement: a briefing for policy makers and communicators
November 2023
This briefing note from Climate Outreach and the Centre for Climate and Social Transformations (CAST) aims to advise politicians and advocacy groups on the role of public engagement in reducing any net-zero ‘backlash’.
CAST Briefing 19: Managing Water Demand in a Changing Climate
October 2023
This briefing note is intended as a resource for academics and stakeholders in the water industry who are exploring options for managing water resources in the context of a changing climate.
CAST Briefing 18: Motivating low-carbon behaviours in the workforce – Insights from Cornwall Council
October 2023
The briefing note is intended as a resource for local authorities and other organisations wanting to encourage low-carbon behaviours in their workforce to help meet internal carbon reduction targets.
CAST Briefing 17: Public worry about climate change and energy security in the cost-of-living crisis
November 2022
The briefing note is intended as a useful resource for academics, decision makers and other stakeholder who are interested in public responses to climate change, energy security and affordability.
CAST Briefing 16: What advice do climate change advisory bodies provide to policymakers? Results from the first longitudinal analysis of the UK Climate Change Committee’s policy recommendations.
November 2022
This briefing is intended as a resource for academics, decision makers and other stakeholders who are interested in the advice provided to policymakers by climate change advisory bodies.
CAST Briefing 15: Travel attitudes and behaviours in Cardiff 2021: Results from the first wave of the Cardiff Travel Survey conducted in May-July 2021
September 2022
This briefing note is intended as a resource for academics, decision makers and other stakeholders who aim to improve the design and implementation of climate policy.
CAST Briefing 14: The road to net zero: UK public preferences for low-carbon lifestyles
September 2022
This briefing note is intended as a resource for academics, decision makers and other stakeholders who are interested in public climate change opinions and societal responses to climate change.
CAST Briefing 13: Coronavirus and Climate Change in the United Kingdom: Perceptions, Policies and Trade-Offs
February 2022
This briefing note is intended as a resource for academics, decision makers and other stakeholders who are communicating climate change post-covid.
CAST Briefing 12: What do we know about transformational climate change mitigation?
January 2022
This briefing note is intended as a resource for academics, decision makers and other stakeholders who are working with transformation-related concepts.
CAST Briefing 11: Policy feedback and climate change
January 2022
This briefing note is intended as a resource for decision makers and other stakeholders who aim to improve the design and implementation of climate policy.
CAST Briefing 10: Public perceptions of climate change and policy action in the UK, China, Sweden and Brazil.
November 2021
This briefing and associated infographics are intended as a useful resource for practitioners and researchers who are interested in public climate change opinions and societal responses to climate change.
CAST Briefing 09: UK public support for net zero policies
October 2021
This briefing is intended as a useful resource for practitioners and researchers who are interested in public climate change opinions and societal responses to climate change.
CAST Briefing 08: UK perceptions of climate change and lifestyle change: results from CAST’s wave 1 survey on public perceptions of climate change and the four areas of diet, transport, heating and consumption
March 2021
This briefing and associated infographics are intended as a useful resource for practitioners and researchers who are interested in public climate change opinions and societal responses to climate change.
CAST Briefing 07: How are universities planning to tackle emissions associated with flying and food?
March 2021
This briefing note is intended as a resource for university sustainability teams and anyone interested in emissions reduction in workplaces and higher education.
CAST Briefing 06: Achieving low carbon and equitable lifestyle change
January 2021
This is part of a series of CAST Briefing Papers which are intended as an accessible resource for researchers and practitioners working on societal responses to climate change.
CAST Briefing 05: Tracking the effect of Covid-19 on low-carbon behaviours and attitudes to climate change
December 2020
This is part of a series of CAST Briefing Papers which are intended as an accessible resource for researchers and practitioners working on societal responses to climate change.
CAST Briefing 04: How has Covid-19 impacted low carbon lifestyles and attitudes towards climate action?
August 2020
This briefing is intended as a resource for both academic and non-academic teams engaged in climate change mitigation and adaptation planning, particularly those interested in societal responses to climate change.
CAST Briefing 03: Climate Change Citizens’ Assemblies
March 2020
This briefing is designed as a resource for professionals interested in citizen participation to address climate change, and for those with a wider interest in public engagement with climate change
CAST Briefing 02: Public opinion in a time of climate emergency
September 2019
This briefing is designed as a resource for professionals whose work includes the communication of climate change, and for those with a wider interest in the public understanding of climate change.
CAST Briefing 01: Engaging the public with low carbon lifestyle change
August 2019
This briefing is designed as a resource for teams engaged in local and regional planning for climate change mitigation and adaptation, environmental sustainability and resilience, and individual and community health.