cast.ac.uk

Our Vision

The Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) will be a global hub for understanding the systemic and society-wide transformations that are required to address climate change. At its core, is a fundamental question of enormous social significance: how can we as a society live differently - and better - in ways that meet the urgent need for rapid and far-reaching emission reductions?

People at the heart of transformations

We want to understand how people can participate in transformation in their multiple roles as citizens, consumers, parents, employees, business leaders, policy-makers. This means recognising that people can act both directly to reduce emissions – like driving less – but equally have the ability to shape wider structural change – like changing organisational practices and shaping policies.

A focus on values and co-benefits

We set out to align the positive outcomes of action on climate change with those in other domains like health and wellbeing. CAST will seek to identify low-carbon futures and actions that also provide other co-benefits - like cleaner air, lower bills, more resilient or fairer communities.

"We want to work closely with people and organisations to achieve positive low-carbon futures — transforming the way we live our lives, and reconfiguring organisations and cities."

Prof. Lorraine Whitmarsh, CAST director

Explore our four areas of focus

Find out why we are focusing on four key areas: Diet, Mobility, Material Consumption and Thermal Comfort.

Our including policy briefings, working papers, academic articles and other resources explore the science of climate action.

We believe effective change requires working with people to understand their values and needs.

The psychology of disruptive events: finding a ‘new normal’

This is a guest post from Dr Emily Cox, Research Associate in Cardiff University’s Understanding Risk Group. The research supporting this blog was funded by the UK Energy Research Centre, as part of a UKERC Phase 4 project on societal resilience to energy disruptions. Emily is a member of the…

Seedcorn Fund supporting decarbonisation interventions to launch in summer 2020

In summer 2020 CAST will be launching a competitive open Seedcorn Fund, which will make small pots of money available for practitioners, communities, or organisations who want to work closely with CAST researchers to co-develop and deliver low-carbon transformative initiatives. The fund will be open to non-academic organisations wishing to…

Pupils debate the role of individual and collective action

A few days before finishing school for their Christmas break, 120 key stage four pupils took part in Cardiff Museum’s annual debate day, organised in partnership with First Campus. This year the theme was ‘Making Personal Choices about Climate Change’ and CAST researchers were invited to get involved. Very often,…

Work with CAST: Job vacancy for a Senior Research Associate at UEA

UEA has some of the most innovative and highly regarded centres for research in the UK. Applications are invited for the post of Senior Research Associate to undertake research in collaboration with Professor Olga Tregaskis and other team members as part of the ESRC Centre for Climate Change and Social…

Our Vision

People at the heart of transformations

A focus on values and co-benefits

"We want to work closely with people and organisations to achieve positive low-carbon futures — transforming the way we live our lives, and reconfiguring organisations and cities."

Explore our four areas of focus

Browse our resources

People at the heart of change

News from CAST

The psychology of disruptive events: finding a ‘new normal’

Seedcorn Fund supporting decarbonisation interventions to launch in summer 2020

Pupils debate the role of individual and collective action

Work with CAST: Job vacancy for a Senior Research Associate at UEA

NEWSLETTER