Identity Threat and Resistance to Change: Evidence and Implications from Transport-Related Behaviour

Climate change stands as one of the most important global issues of our time. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has described the warming of global climate systems as “unequivocal”, and current mitigation policies as inadequate to prevent the growth of greenhouse gas emissions over the coming decades (IPCC, 2007, p.1). In addition to policies and regulation, individual behaviour change is seen as highly important in reducing emissions, perhaps particularly due to the hope of potentially rapid change (DECC, 2011). However, there is little evidence of change in individuals’ behaviour, with many indicators showing increased energy use over the past two decades. For example, in the UK, the percentage of passenger journeys by car (84%) remained stable between 1992 and 2007, the proportion of primary school children driven to school increased by 13% to 43% in the same period (DfT, 2009) and domestic energy use increased by 12% between 1990 and 2006 (DEFRA, 2008).