ACT: From targets to action - public responses to climate policy instruments

The ACT project has contributed with knowledge on how to develop policies to become a low emitting society. It has examined people's response to climate policy solutions, and established a time series database of Norwegians' attitudes, norms, behaviors, perceptions, and values that are relevant for the transition to a sustainable society. The project has developed a theoretical framework for understanding people's response - both behavior and attitudes - to climate policy instruments, based on perspectives from sociology, institutional economics, and social psychology. The international project group has, except for two meetings, communicated digitally. At its start in 2017, we held a workshop for the project participants, and an open seminar where we presented the project to a wide audience and the press. From an early stage we involved key stakeholders in transport, agriculture and waste, as well as Enova and Oslo municipality to get input. We have regularly sent newsletters to stakeholders who participated in these meetings in 2017. We have developed a theoretical framework and a questionnaire based on this work. The project has completed three rounds (2018, -19, -20) of data collection of 4000 Norwegians per round. With other funding, we have also collected data in 2021 and 2022, to enable analyses including the Covid 19 period. Figures from the first survey were presented during Arendalsuka in 2018, and in a breakfast seminar in January 2018. Survey results have been presented at four Arendalsuka during the project period. In 2018, NTB produced an article about the project, which was picked up by NRK, Dagbladet, p4 and local newspapers. The project has throughout the period been featured in several media channels (Politisk Kvarter and Good Morning Norway (TV2), Dagrevysending (NRK), Morgennytt (Radio/TV), and been reported in VG, Dagbladet, Bergens Tidende and other. The project has contributed with knowledge in presentations to businesses and political parties, to NHO, to the Ministry of Climate and Environment, to the climate team in NRK, and at scientific conferences. Results from the project are used in teaching (NMBU). From October 2017 to October 2022, the project has more than 200 media posts. We have published several op-eds. (e.g., in DN and Forskning.no), and made an Instagram account to reach younger target groups. The project has also reached out through non-traditional channels such as a theater performance at the National Theater, where one of the researchers participated on stage presenting findings. In 2019, we published a report for the Norwegian audience with results from 2018 and 2019. In 2022 we published two reports, with descriptive results from the survey years 2018-2021, and 2022. We have published seven scientific articles. The first article reports results from a survey experiment that examines the effects of institutional context on attitudes towards policy instruments to reduce private car use, and the importance of political orientation for these effects. The experiment shows that presenting a reduction in private car use to improve local air pollution receives more support among right-leaning subjects, than if solutions are presented as a contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A second accepted article discusses results from qualitative follow-up interviews from this experiment. This study shows how people change logic dependent on how the solutions are presented. A third article presents results from an analysis of peoples’ choice of mode of travel to work and study place (SEM methodology). Mode of travel choice is of course affected by car ownership and infrastructure for public transport and walking. But as important are habits and social norms that support the use of fossil cars. The results give a picture of a, to many, normal daily practice that is rarely challenged. A fourth article presents the results of a similar study for red meat. Again, habits and social norms appear to be important factors explaining meat consumption. The same applies to red meat being considered tasty and nutritious. Gender is also quite important, climate considerations have a negative effect on such consumption, while income plays a minor role. A fifth article examines leisure travels by air. We find to a small extent that climate considerations have effect on such travels. The results show that leisure air traveling is part of a lifestyle, which has become habituated and is supported by social norms, self-enhancement values and urban residency. A sixth article (co-financed by PLATON (295789) and JUSTDECARB (321445)) shows that the strongest predictors of road toll opposition are attitudes relating to climate change, the environment, and right-wing populism. A seventh article is a peer reviewed commentary on the Norwegian parliamentary “climate” election in 2021. Two additional articles will be submitted in 2022. Seven master's theses are completed in the project.

Project results, scientific articles and reports, scientific discussions and outreach have multiple outcomes that can be grouped in three. First, scientific outcomes include changes in competency for the researcher group in the project and among the wider research community where the results are presented and discussed in publications and conferences. Designs and results are also presented in lectures and seminars for master students at NMBU, also developing competence. The time series database established in the project is under analyses in other research projects and is a valuable source of future insights into Norwegians’ climate relevant beliefs, behaviors, norms, and position on policies. Another scientific outcome is future interdisciplinary and international research collaboration opportunities extended to the project group. Impacts are • future academic work based on the scientific results, both influenced by the interdisciplinary framework and based on the times series database, which enables comprehensive analyses of climate relevant behaviors and opinion, resistance, and support among groups of the public • indirect influence on students’ future professional careers, where the knowledge from this project includes an interdisciplinary perspective on behaviors, opinions, and norms, which may guide their practices in their work Second, outcomes for non-scientific users also includes competence development on barriers for sustainable consumption and behavior, public opinion, and policy attitudes, among decision makers and public administration at various levels and sectors. Other outcomes are competence development among businesses, NGOs and political parties through presentations and seminars. Among others at The Ministry of Climate and Environment, the Environmental Directorate, at businesses like Sparebank 1, as well as for public administration in Norwegian municipalities, NHO and LO. Impacts are • perspectives and concrete insights utilized in policy design and instrument design among public administrations. One example is public administrations’ work with local climate policy, where they utilize results from the project both in terms of measurements of and concrete results on public opinion and behavior • these outcomes may also affect policy discussions among political actors like the political parties and NGOs, and potentially policy designs Third, outcomes for media actors and the public include changes in competency among these target groups, through invited talks by researchers for media, and dissemination in the media and other channels like a theatre performance including discussion between researchers and the audience. Results from the project is presented and referred to in newspapers commentaries, in radio and news channels for a broad public. Impacts are • research-based input to the debate on the publics role in shaping the emission free future • informed debate on behavior changes and needed policies and norm changes

To meet its GHG emission reduction targets, Norway will need to successfully implement many new policy instruments that change behavior among Norwegians. Three major issues seem important for the success of climate policy instruments: public support to such instruments, substantial behavioral change as a response to the instruments, and large emission reductions as an effect of the behavioral responses. ACT will address these issues. The primary objective of ACT is therefore to provide society with recommendations for policy instruments that enable transition to a low-emission society. ACT will increase our understanding of responses to climate policy instruments affecting individuals and households. It will do so by employing a mix of methods. It will establish a scientifically based annual survey tracking Norwegians' attitudinal and behavioral responses to climate policy instruments. The survey will include social and cultural dimensions such as beliefs, values and norms. It will continue after the project period, and be open access. The survey will be the first of its kind internationally. Developed in close collaboration with international and national expertise, the survey results will expand on existing knowledge, and provide a baseline against which changes in attitudes and behavior can be measured. Data from the survey will be combined with experimental and qualitative studies to answer questions of both political and scientific importance. The project will also pre-test, evaluate and improve new and planned policy instruments. Hence, ACT fills an important gap by improving our understanding of which policy instruments seem to have the best potential to reduce emissions. It will also provide up-to-date insights to society including policy makers, businesses, and other actors that work to advance a sustainable green shift.