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.

CAST launches with new findings on public opinion on climate change

We are pleased to officially launch the CAST Centre today with a special event held at Cardiff University. In this short video Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh describes why CAST is needed and what we aim to achieve. To coincide with the launch, new findings have been released from research carried out…

Announcing our Young Person’s Photography Competition!

Which images come to mind when you think of climate change? If you answered ‘polar bears’, ‘melting ice’ or ‘pollution’ then you’re not alone; over the last twenty five years or so the media, and other organisations have used images like these as visual shortcuts for environmental problems, as well…