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5 key messages from five years of CAST research: New report

5 key messages from five years of CAST research: New report

Read our latest CAST report: 'Catalysts of Change: People at the Heart of Climate Transformations', and watch our animation summarising 5 key messages from five years of CAST social science research on climate change and how we can achieve the social changes needed to tackle climate change.

Our Vision

The Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) is a global hub for understanding the systemic and society-wide transformations that are required to address climate change. At the core of our work 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 seeks 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 MBE, 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 resources include policy briefings, working papers, academic articles, reports and other resources exploring the science of climate action.

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

News from CAST

Our latest report

CAST Director Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh MBE stars in ActNowFilm premiering at COP28 calling for young people to be at the frontline of global climate policymaking and negotiations

CAST Director Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh MBE stars in the ActNowFilm premiering at COP28 as one of 30 climate experts from across the world in conversation with youth climate leaders calling for young people to be at the frontline of global climate policymaking and negotiations. The ‘ActNowFilm: youth climate leaders in…

CAST report shows repair and reuse initiatives are effective at preventing waste and providing community benefits in Wales

Our latest CAST report on a pilot project on repair and reuse initiatives, as part of a collaboration with Keep Wales Tidy, shows they are an effective way of preventing waste and providing community benefits to urban and rural communities in Wales. In our latest CAST report: ‘Circular Economy in…

CAST research shows Cornwall Council staff are highly concerned about climate change, but knowledge gaps prevent them from taking action

Our latest CAST briefing on motivating a low-carbon workforce shows Cornwall Council staff are very concerned about climate change but knowledge gaps prevent them from taking action. As part of our research commissioned by the Cornwall Council (CC), we published a briefing resource: ‘Motivating a low-carbon workforce – Insights from…

CAST responds to the Prime Minister’s new approach to Net Zero: How will this impact the UK meeting its climate targets?

Words by Dr Dan Thorman, Professor Wouter Poortinga and Dr Katharine Steentjes CAST researchers respond to the Prime Minister’s ‘new approach’ to Net Zero and discuss how this announcement will impact the UK meeting its climate targets. The Government’s U-turn on climate policy is completely at odds with the direction…