European nations now confronts a new challenge

Numerous affluent economies have made significant progress in enhancing their energy supply's sustainability; however, their citizens continue to lead high-carbon lifestyles. In contrast to their less affluent counterparts, who are still striving for a coal-free energy grid, a group of predominantly European nations now confronts a new challenge: encouraging the public to adopt different living habits.
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Toby Park, a behavioral science expert who has provided guidance to the UK government on reducing consumer emissions, states, "The remaining reductions we need to achieve in domestic emissions involve various sectors, choices, technological changes, and to some extent, lifestyle adjustments that significantly affect our daily lives."

The UK exemplifies the challenges ahead. The Climate Change Committee, the country's climate advisory body, has attempted to quantify the contribution of consumers to the overall carbon reductions necessary for the nation to achieve net zero by 2050—estimated at 136 metric tons, or approximately one-third of the total required reductions.

The committee has also outlined a pathway for British households to achieve these targets. The transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and heat pumps is projected to account for over two-thirds of the necessary reductions, while reduced driving and decreased consumption of meat and dairy will contribute to the remainder.

To accomplish these objectives, there must be a substantial increase in the sales of heat pumps and EVs over the next 15 years—an outcome the Climate Change Committee deems feasible. They highlight that it took only a few years for consumers to embrace other transformative technologies, such as the internet, mobile phones, and refrigerators.

However, Park notes that the challenge lies in the fact that these previous transitions felt like clear improvements: products that were evidently superior, more affordable, or more convenient than their predecessors. In contrast, heat pumps and electric vehicles have not yet been perceived in the same light.

Although electric vehicles have been available at dealerships for two decades, they currently represent only 5% of the cars on UK roads, falling significantly short of the 80% market share required by 2040 to remain within the country's carbon budget. Nevertheless, a shift in this trend is beginning to emerge. As the costs of electric vehicles (EVs) decrease, their sales are rapidly increasing; in the previous month, one out of every four new cars sold in the UK was electric.

Conversely, the adoption of heat pumps presents a more complex challenge. UK households have been slow to embrace this technology, with over two-thirds still depending on gas boilers for heating. Transitioning to a heat pump typically requires more time and can be more disruptive than simply replacing a gas boiler. Additionally, there is a shortage of installers, and many consumers are unfamiliar with the technology. To achieve the target of increasing the proportion of households using heat pumps from the current 1% to 50% by 2040, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) indicates that financial incentives will be necessary to attract consumers.

However, the government cannot bear the entire cost of this transition. Officials must also work to garner public support, similar to the mobilization seen during past crises such as wartime efforts and the Covid pandemic, according to Ruth Townend, an environmental researcher at Chatham House. "It is essential to establish a clear plan that involves public participation, ensuring that individuals are empowered and supported in a manner that is equitable across society."
Source@Bloomberg

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