Challenging techno-optimism: climate change as a social problem - Dr Ewan Woodley

How can societies take meaningful and much needed action to address human-induced climate change?

Over the past two decades we have seen a shift from a widespread academic and policymaker view that people should be encouraged (‘nudged’) to adopt pro-environmental behaviours to reduce their carbon impacts, to current techno-optimistic policies that cite the role of emerging technologies as a ‘solution’ to our problems.

Yet, techno-optimism ignores the fact that climate change is ultimately a social problem that will require unsettling, but also positive, conversations about the ways we live out our everyday lives, including the food we eat, the places we live, the ways we interact, and our modes of travel.

This talk will make the case for behaviour change, providing an insight into the importance of environmental values and how we might create transformative experiences to prepare people for low-carbon societies of the future.

About the speaker

Dr Ewan Woodley is an Associate Professor of Geography at the University of Exeter. He is an environmental social scientist specialising in the construction of climate change and environmental knowledges, with particular interests in the role of social learning. Ewan has worked on a wide range of research projects funded through UKRI and external organisations.

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This event has been organised by the South West regional committee.

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