© 1.5 Degree Lifestyles project
Interview

Civil society

Enabling the 1.5° lifestyle

Sustainability researchers pinpoint the necessity of structural change

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Staying as close as possible to a temperature rise of 1.5 °C means rethinking not just technology and policy, but the choices we all make every day.

But where can we have the most impact? And can individuals really make that big of a difference? 

Those are the questions the EU-funded 1.5° Lifestyles project aims to answer. They’re exploring how to drive behavioural change, and which sectors to tackle first. They’re also addressing the key question of why lifestyle change must go hand-in-hand with tackling the powerful economic and social structures that keep us locked into patterns of unsustainable consumption. 

We caught up with the project team to find out more. 

What are the most significant lifestyle changes individuals can make to help achieve the 1.5 °C climate target?

There are four areas of consumption that are central to the climate impact of individual lifestyles: mobility, nutrition, housing, and leisure. 

The most leverage for behavioural change generally lies in the areas of mobility and housing, so changing habits in these areas is crucial.


Addressing areas like mobility and housing involves reducing (especially fossil-fuel-powered) car use and switching to renewable heating and energy systems. In combination with reducing living space, these are the most significant lifestyle changes. 

Changes in diets and leisure activities can also have a significant impact on individual carbon footprints. Switching to a plant-based diet leads to a considerable reduction of greenhouse gas emissions; for leisure, reducing car use and air travel is key. The latter is especially relevant for wealthier parts of society that tend to fly much more often than average citizens.

What’s stopping people from making these changes?

It is true that there has been awareness of many of the necessary lifestyle changes for some time now, at least in some sections of science, politics and society.

To date, lifestyles have been addressed as a matter of individual and rational choice, while the manifold structures in which lifestyles are embedded have been neglected.


We’re addressing this by identifying key structures that currently hinder or even prevent sustainable lifestyle changes. 

We first need a more differentiated look at the pursuit of economic growth: Where is further economic growth required, and where is it too harmful to the future wellbeing of societies? In this context, we also need an eco-social transformation of welfare systems.

Relevant policy options include investments in collective infrastructures for needs satisfaction, and accessible, affordable and reliable public transport and housing infrastructures. Also, work time reduction and unconditional basic incomes would be powerful measures. 

Second, we need consistent, predictable and integrated policies that support sustainable lifestyles. This includes considering bans or strong negative incentives for extremely environmentally harmful goods and services and their advertising. For example, SUVs, frequent flying, owning multiple homes, private jets or even space travel for leisure. Importantly, there is much more support for such policy options in society than typically assumed, as long as fairness and impact are at the heart of them. 

Third, the systematic influence of unsustainable special interests must be overcome. Many actors that profit financially from the fossil fuel economy wield disproportionate political power, preventing the adoption of effective climate policies. Increasing transparency through regulatory measures and strengthening the voice of citizens–for example, through citizens’ assemblies–is crucial. 

Implementing 1.5° lifestyles, therefore, also means ensuring deep democratic legitimacy through inclusive governance. Fair and effective policies, aligned with sustainability goals, can only be created by democratising decision-making processes and reducing the role of money in the political process.

Additional structural reforms that would greatly increase the potential for 1.5° lifestyles include an eco-social restructuring of taxes and subsidies (including climate dividends designed in a socially progressive way). Also, new narratives and indicators of individual and collective wellbeing.

Finally, investments in education and information processes and structures (incl. measures to counteract disinformation and polarisation). 

Importantly, structural changes like the ones we propose would not only support sustainable lifestyles individually but foster inclusion, wellbeing and resilience on a societal level.


Some people feel individuals can’t make a difference, or that they shouldn’t have to sacrifice if governments and big businesses fail to act. What would you say to them?  

The pursuit of a lifestyle that is in line with the climate targets of the Paris Agreement is a task that falls to everyone—according to their power and abilities. 

Governments and big businesses currently hold the most power to shape a sustainable transformation, so they indeed have the greatest responsibility to take action to reach these targets. 

However, instead of shifting responsibility to one actor alone, be it individuals as consumers and citizens, governments or businesses, genuine change requires a collaborative understanding of shared, forward-looking & justice-oriented responsibility. Political decision-makers, businesses, and civil society must work together to create the conditions for sustainable living. This goes hand in hand with democratising decision-making processes. 

Everybody has a role to play in this endeavour towards achieving a good life for all, not only as consumers, but also and particularly as professionals, employers or employees, citizens, community members, educators and family members.


Acknowledging the notion of shared responsibility is the foundation for building broad, diverse, inclusive coalitions that make eco-social justice the pivot point.

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Author: Kate Williams

Author: Kate Williams

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B2B, B2B, B2G content marketer and journalist specialised in sustainability, climate change, and new technologies, among other topics.

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Inmedia Solutions

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