Despite a growing body of research examining stakeholder perceptions of offshore wind-farms, little social research has focused on offshore wave energy devices. With the Wave Hub project proposed for Hayle Bay, Cornwall, in 2010, it is apparent that even developments that are ‘out of sight, out of mind’ still require extensive stakeholder engagement if opposition is to be reduced. Findings from ongoing research into stakeholder perceptions of marine renewable energy suggest that the science underpinning these devices needs to be more robust and clearly articulated, with baseline data accounting for temporal shifts in marine environments, to allay stakeholder concerns. There also needs to be realistic information by project proponents on the local benefits of the Wave Hub project, as many stakeholders feel the public will be disappointed if benefits are artificially inflated. The Wave Hub also creates a quandary for some stakeholders who see supporting the Wave Hub as paving the way for widespread deployment of marine renewables, leading to significant impacts on marine environments. The more general findings from the study are that it cannot be assumed that ‘out of sight’ means ‘out of mind’ or that the same opposition factors identified for offshore wind developments apply to wave and tidal devices.

We use the New Zealand emissions trading scheme to explore how diffusion and learning from other emissions trading systems can explain the adoption, design, and revision of climate policy. Drawing on secondary documents and interviews with politicians, government officials, business leaders, and independent commentators, we argue for further investigation of how interactions between international and domestic factors shape the design of climate policy, and for deeper probing of structural and shorter-term domestic imperatives, to avoid misreading the extent and nature of international diffusion influences. We particularly stress the importance of distinguishing analytically between diffusion interactions motivated by learning between jurisdictions and scrutiny aimed at avoiding material disadvantages as a result of miscalculations in climate policy design. Finally, we argue for greater attention to the temporal dimensions of climate policy development in explanations of how diffusion and domestic influences may change during policy adoption, design, and revision.

This chapter examines the dynamics that accompanied the negotiation and implementation of the Packaging Waste Directive. Evidence from the Packaging Waste Directive suggests that the uneven application of European Union (EU) policies has been increased with the move towards New Environmental Policy Instruments, as these instruments can be finely honed to reflect particular national policy agendas. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive was formally agreed by the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament on the 20th December 1994. Although the Directive formalised standards for the management of packaging waste throughout the Union, the initial impetus for the policy did not come from the EU but the actions of several environmental leader states. The review of the British and German implementation of the Packaging Directive has revealed wide disparities in the way member states interpret and apply EU environmental law.

Executive summary Climate change and climate-related disasters and shocks pose a particular threat to food security and nutrition. Findings from the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicate that climate change could increase the risk of hunger and malnutrition by up to 20 percent by 2050. A growing number of climate disasters necessitate food assistance responses and there are climate-related dimensions to many other complex emergencies. This policy defines how WFP will contribute to efforts to prevent climate change and climate-related shocks from exacerbating existing vulnerabilities and risks and undermining progress towards ending hunger and malnutrition. The policy provides WFP staff with guiding principles and programmatic options for integrating activities to address climate change into their work, with a focus on supporting adaptation and reducing loss and damage from climate extremes. WFP’s goal is for vulnerable people, communities and governments to be able to address the impacts of climate on food security and nutrition and to adapt to climate change. To achieve this goal within its corporate Strategic Plan, WFP will work with governments and partners to promote three main objectives: i) Support the most vulnerable people, communities and governments in managing and reducing climate-related risks to food security and nutrition and adapting to climate change.

This chapter explores the extent to which hypothecated charges have produced financial incentives for packaging producers to engage in more sustainable waste management. It reviews national trends in packaging production and examines producers' responses to recovery and recycling charges. The link between environmental charges and producer policies is examined in more detail, and critical factors determining the incentive effect of economic instruments are discussed. A first indication that recycling charges have produced a discernible effect on packaging producers comes from national government data. The United Kingdom (UK) and German environmental ministries each maintain records of the amount of packaging waste entering the waste stream using data provided by materials organisations. In order to explore the effects of economic instruments on the production and management of packaging waste, surveys were conducted with UK and German packaging producers.

The damaging effects of human activities on marine health suggest that a major shift is required in the way marine systems are used by individuals. Identifying how to engage society in this shift is an on-going debate. This includes strengthening the positive connections between society and the sea. This study uses a survey (n=1047) to investigate UK public perceptions of subtidal species and marine health to assess whether it is possible to build more positive connections between society and the sea. Respondents showed considerable interest in traditionally charismatic species (puffins, seals and seahorses) although many respondents thought these species did not live in UK seas. Gender and experience of marine environments influenced public perceptions of species. Public perceptions of marine health showed issues such as litter to be considered as the greatest indicator of poor health. Ecological concepts of habitat integrity and biodiversity were also rated as important to marine health. Social values were found to influence public perceptions of marine health. The results show that perceptions are far from uniform across the population, and such diversity of perceptions is likely impact upon methods to catalyse societal engagement with marine conservation. These findings reinforce previous research on public perceptions of UK seas, and identify opportunities for building positive connections between society and the sea. Research priorities to further the debate of engaging society with the sea are identified.

Why, despite two decades of climate policy, have affluent democracies made so little progress in cutting greenhouse gas emissions? We know that there are ways of doing this that are both practical and affordable. It is politics that is the problem. Stringent climate policies may lead companies to redirect investment elsewhere, or lead voters to retaliate at the ballot box. There are many political obstacles to stronger action. What can be done? Based on an analysis of the logic of policy making, plus observation of recent developments in climate politics, this book identifies a broad range of political strategies that are available to governments that wish to take more effective action against climate change while avoiding serious political damage. Separate chapters deal with strategies relating to unilateral action, persuasion, political exchange, and changing the terms of political exchange. This is the first book-length study of political strategy and climate change and will be of interest not only to policymakers but also to experts and activists looking to formulate politically realistic policy proposals, and scholars and students of politics and environmental studies.

AbstractDespite widespread recognition that many of the severest obstacles to climate policy are political (in the form of resistance from political parties, business groups and electorates) rather than scientific, technological or economic and a growing literature on the spatial dimensions of climate governance, geographical research has yet systematically to address how geographical thinking can inform the development of political strategies to assist governments to overcome political opposition to climate policy. In this article we argue for, and explore the outlines of, such a geographical contribution to understanding and reinvigorating the politics of climate change. We particularly draw attention to the importance of context and of how geographical theorisations on the politics of scale and networks can assist in evaluating future political strategies for climate policy.

AreaVolume 42, Issue 1 p. 133-134 Creating a climate for change: communicating climate change and facilitating social change – By Susanne C Moser and Lisa Dilling Ian Bailey, Ian Bailey University of PlymouthSearch for more papers by this author Ian Bailey, Ian Bailey University of PlymouthSearch for more papers by this author First published: 24 January 2010 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-4762.2009.00933_2.xCitations: 1Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Citing Literature Volume42, Issue1March 2010Pages 133-134 RelatedInformation

Public opposition to the siting of renewable energy (RE) facilities and public reluctance to invest in RE remain key obstacles to the expansion of the renewables sector in the UK and a number of other European countries. Although there is a growing body of qualitative research on factors that inform public attitudes towards RE, the majority of studies have tended to be quantitative and to view 'the public' and 'public opinion' as homogeneous wholes. This study uses a cultural theory framework and focus groups conducted in the South West UK to develop deeper understandings of how individuals' worldviews can inform opinions and behaviour in relation to RE. These findings are used to explore ways in which government policies on RE might be tailored to engender greater public support and participation. Issues discussed include the provision of economic incentives, information on climate change and RE, linking renewables to overall energy behaviour, and landscape aesthetics.

In the space of little more than two decades, climate change has been transformed from an obscure technical concern into an issue of major academic, political and public debate (Demeritt 2001: 307). As a result, reasonable degrees of confidence now exist on a number of key issues. Climate science has produced increasingly definitive statements about the existence, pace, extent and effects of human-induced climatic changes. The Stern Review, while contested in some quarters, provided strong indications that the economic costs of inaction or pure adaptation are likely greatly to outweigh those incurred by prompt and decisive action to cut and capture greenhouse gas emissions (Stern 2007). And various branches of the technical sciences and economics have developed innovative technologies and policy instruments to curb emissions. Despite these advances and sustained political attention, however, progress in cutting emissions remains disappointingly slow. The premise on which this book is based, and one that receives considerable support from the evidence reported in its constituent chapters, is that the main obstacles to more effective climate policies are essentially political: that, with a few exceptions, governments and other political authorities remain reluctant to take decisive action, even though most accept that strong measures are needed, because they fear that to do so would be politically damaging.

Tradable-permit schemes are becoming an increasingly popular technique for encouraging materials recovery and the diversion of waste from landfill. Such schemes operate using various forms of market-based trading of waste permits between polluters but usually rely on mandatory recycling targets to provide an incentive for trading. Using the UK’s Packaging Recovery Note (PRN) scheme as a template, this paper examines the potential for permit trading where mandatory targets are absent and schemes must be driven solely by the financial benefits of reduced landfill costs and permit/material sales. The case examined is sterilized clinical waste, which has considerable recycling potential but suffers from health concerns and a poor public image. Interviews with healthcare and waste-management representatives indicate that although elements of the PRN scheme might prove appropriate for encouraging materials recovery, the absence of government targets and uncertain end markets for sterilized clinical waste present major obstacles to trading. Alternative incentives would therefore be required to catalyse schemes and develop recycling infrastructure. In the final analysis, thermal processing may be a more practical alternative to landfill than materials recovery for this particular waste stream.