An investigation into the rebound and backfire effects from abatement actions by UK households

2 The Research Group on Lifestyles, Values and Environment (RESOLVE) is a novel and exciting collaboration located entirely within the University of Surrey, involving four internationally acclaimed departments: Sponsored by the UK's Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) as part of the Research Councils' Energy Programme, RESOLVE aims to unravel the complex links between lifestyles, values and the environment. In particular, the group will provide robust, evidence-based advice to policy-makers in the UK and elsewhere who are seeking to understand and to influence the behaviours and practices of 'energy consumers'. The working papers in this series reflect the outputs, findings and recommendations emerging from a truly inter-disciplinary research programme arranged around six thematic research strands: Carbon Footprinting: developing the tools to find out which bits of people's lifestyles and practices generate how much energy consumption (and carbon emissions). Psychology of Energy Behaviours: concentrating on the social psychological influences on energy-related behaviours, including the role of identity, and testing interventions aimed at change. Sociology of Lifestyles: focusing on the sociological aspects of lifestyles and the possibilities of lifestyle change, exploring the role of values and the creation and maintenance of meaning. Household change over time: working with individual households to understand how they respond to the demands of climate change and negotiate new, low-carbon lifestyles and practices. Lifestyle Scenarios: exploring the potential for reducing the energy consumption (and carbon emissions) associated with a variety of lifestyle scenarios over the next two to three decades. Energy/Carbon Governance: reviewing the implications of a low carbon society for governance, and investigating, in particular, the role of community in stimulating long-term lifestyle change. (2011). "Missing carbon reductions? Exploring rebound and backfire effects in UK households " Energy Policy 39: 3572–3581. Abstract Households are expected to play a pivotal role in reducing the UK's carbon emissions, and the Government is targeting specific household actions to help meet its targets. However, by focusing on discrete actions, the Government risks failing to take account of the Rebound Effect – a phenomenon whereby carbon reductions estimated by simple engineering calculations are frequently not realised in practice. For example, replacing short car journeys by walking or cycling reduces consumption of personal transportation fuels. But this frees up money that may be spent on, for example, purchasing extra clothes or flying on vacation. Alternatively it may be put into savings. These options all give rise to carbon emissions, thus the total …