ADD2694 Net zero carbon research and engagement literature review

1.1.    The Mayor has set an ambitious target for London to be net zero carbon by 2030. This will require major improvements to the energy efficiency of our domestic and non-domestic building stock; to how we heat and power our buildings; to how we travel around our city and beyond; and to what and how much we consume.
1.2.    But while most Londoners say they are worried about climate change, many find it hard to know how they can address it.
1.3.    This is not just about decarbonising the city’s energy and transport systems and buildings. It is about all of us understanding the climate impact of how we live; and being able use that understanding to make more informed decisions about the climate impact of our everyday actions.
1.4.    The first objective of this project will look to understand how to gain buy-in to government-led campaigns to change behaviour, especially in relation to climate and the environment. It will look to identify examples of successful campaigns; and understand how this knowledge can be applied to catalyse the behaviour change needed to help us meet the Mayor’s 2030 target. The second objective will look to understand what Londoners think about net zero, its importance and the way it is communicated, and examples of effective ways to influence thinking.
1.5.    This project will appoint a consultancy to conduct research to answer the issues raised in sections 2.3 and 2.5, below, to the value of the amount specified by this ADD. The consultancy will be selected following TfL’s Request for Quotation procurement process.
1.6.    Phase one of this research project is outlined in this ADD. Phase two will consider the findings from phase one; and then ascertain whether further primary research is needed to fill any gaps in understanding around how to communicate with Londoners around net zero.
1.7.    Results of both stage one (this ADD2694) and stage two will be shared with relevant teams across the GLA. Going forward a working group comprised of members of the climate change, marketing and press teams will consult on next steps.
 

2.1.    The objectives and research questions, below, will be answered by the appointed consultant through a two-part literature review. The first part will aim to understand effective mechanisms of engagement. The second part will aim to understand what makes effective communication with regards to net zero actions Londoners can take.
Objective 1 
2.2.    Objective 1 is to identify effective mechanisms to engage Londoners in net zero, and communicate London’s net zero actions with them. 
Part 1 literature review
2.3.    Part 1 of the literature review will address the following questions:
•    Which examples show how public environmental / climate change policy changes have been successfully communicated, and achieved significant public buy-in and behavioural change? 
•    What were the enabling factors for these successes, and how relevant are they to communications around climate change? 
•    How can this knowledge, and these insights, be applied to help design policies, and the engagement and communications around them, that will catalyse the significant level of behaviour change that is needed to tackle climate change?
•    Analysis of examples from Scotland, Oslo, DESNZ, and Lambeth and other London boroughs; drawing out learning for the GLA.
Objective 2 
2.4.    Objective 2 is to understand how best to communicate what net zero is and what it means to Londoners.
Part 2 literature review
2.5.    A large amount of research already exists on attitudes to net zero and climate action more generally. The gaps are around effectively communicating net zero as a concept; and how Londoners’ opinions may differ from those across the rest of the UK. The following topics can be considered to gather existing evidence:
•    Net zero London:
o    Who is best placed to communicate around net zero – the Mayor or another person/organisation?
o    What types and/or methods of communication best explain net zero by 2030?
o    What are the benefits to Londoners of reaching net zero by 2030; and why would they want to contribute to London achieving this target? 
o    What arguments will best convince Londoners that London needs to reduce its emissions (as opposed to other places in the world/country)?
o    How do opinions towards net zero vary across socio-economic groups?
•    Climate change:
o    What are the best ways to convince Londoners that reducing emissions in London helps the global climate crisis?
o    What aspects of the environment do Londoners care about most?
o    What is the current scale of the problem – i.e., what percentage of Londoners know what they can do to reduce their emissions, and what percentage of Londoners are not actively doing things to reduce their emissions at all, or on the scale needed?
o    How can we communicate in a positive way that highlights the part we can all play in tackling the climate crisis?
Expected outcomes for a programme of net zero comms and/or engagement
2.6.    Upon completion of further communications testing research (phase two) and the design of a engagement and communications approach for London (phase three), we would expect to achieve outcomes across policy change, engagement and communications in relation to climate change and net zero.
 

3.1.    Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, the Mayor and the GLA are subject to the public sector equality duty and must have due regard to the need to: 
•     unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation 
•    advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not 
•    foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not. 
3.2.    The “protected characteristics” are age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, and marriage/ civil partnership status. The duty involves having appropriate regard to these matters as they apply in the circumstances, including having regard to the need to: remove or minimise any disadvantage suffered by those who share or is connected to a protected; take steps to meet the different needs of such people; encourage them to participate in public life or in any other activity where their participation is disproportionately low. This can involve treating people with a protected characteristic more favourably than those without one.
3.3.    The research and engagement methodology will ensure that the views of a wide range of Londoners are represented. This will be based on demographic characteristics such as age, gender, social class, ethnicity and political beliefs, to ensure, where applicable, a diverse, inclusive and representative spread of Londoners’ views are considered and fed into the outcomes of the research. This will ensure that the research can be used to communicate the importance of tackling climate change to all Londoners, regardless of demographic characteristics.
 

Link to Mayoral strategies and priorities
4.1.    This research will help contribute to achieving key Environment Strategy policies, recovery missions and London Plan priorities:
•    Zero-carbon London: Support the Mayor’s net zero 2030 ambition; and highlight commitment and action taken to making London the first zero carbon mega-city in the world.
•    A Green New Deal for London: Highlight the Mayor’s manifesto pledge to deliver a green new deal, and outline aspects of the 10-point plan for how this will be achieved. 
•    The London Plan: Contributing towards the objectives of the London Plan through progress towards climate-mitigation actions being included in the built environment.
Risks and issues
4.2.    Few risks are expected with the decision as a preliminary background research to support future work.
4.3.    There is a risk that the request-for-quote procurement process will be unable to find a suitable consultancy to undertake the work. The Crown Commercial Services framework will be used in this case to identify an appropriate consultancy.
4.4.    There is a risk that the literature will provide examples of net zero communications and engagement that are not relevant to city governments, with some of the highest-profile examples coming from national and devolved governments. To avoid this, the project specification will make it clear that examples must be applicable to a city government, bearing in mind the influence and powers that city governments have.
4.5.    No conflicts of interest have been declared from those involved in the drafting or clearance of this Decision Form.
 

5.1.    Approval is requested for revenue expenditure of up to £20,000 to conduct a literature review on the most effective existing models for engagement with net zero; and how best to communicate net zero to Londoners.
5.2.    This expenditure will be funded from the Zero Carbon budget within the Environment Unit’s approved 2023-24 budget.
5.3.    All expenditure will be incurred by 31 March 2024. 
 

7.1.    Key activities and outputs are outlined in the table below: