The latest edition of the DSI/NRF/CSIR Chair in Waste and Society webinar series is entitled "The human dimension of plastic pollution - psychological drivers of perceptions and behaviour change".
Presenter: Dr Isabel Richter
Host: Prof. Catherina Schenck
Date: Thursday, 5 August 2021
Time: 12h00
Link: https://uwc.zoom.us/j/96406617173
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
My name is Isabel Richter and I am a post-doctoral researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway, and a Visiting Researcher at the University of Plymouth, UK. As an environmental psychologist, I mainly focus on human behaviour and decision-making relevant to environmental conservation and sustainability.
My main research focus is on applying and evaluating theories for behaviour change to encourage pro-environmental actions relevant to the marine environment. I have been working on projects looking at how psychological factors like norms, values, attitudes, and perceptions influence behaviours that are relevant for (marine) conservation such as sustainable seafood choices, consumption of plastic, sustainable tourism, and marine spatial planning. Throughout the last four years, my main activities revolved around the Blue Communities project in which we co-developed alternative future scenarios in coastal communities in South East Asia. I highly value collaborating closely with stakeholders, policymakers, and members of local communities to reinforce a participatory process and co-creation of solutions involving health, social and ecological aspects.
ABSTRACT
Plastic pollution is drastically affecting the oceans, marine life, human health and the Blue Economy. Because of its significance, plastic pollution has recently been named as a key goal for the UN Decade of the Ocean 2021-2030 and included as key output for 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) (IMO, 2019).
Compared to other environmental challenges, plastic pollution has exclusively anthropogenic roots, which makes human decisions and behaviour not only the cause but also the solution. This webinar will help to understand the psychological roots of people’s motivation, decisions, and behaviour, which are key for solution development.
These solutions can be found along the whole value chain: behavioural changes that lead to less plastic being consumed, less plastic being lost throughout the system and thereby spilled into the natural environment, or more plastic being cleaned up and recycled into valuable materials. Insights from behavioural science can be used to identify the drivers and barriers for potential solutions such as habits, knowledge, attitudes, norms, values, self-efficacy, or situational constraints. Ongoing and completed research along with personal experiences from international fieldwork will be used to illustrate how behavioural science can help to combat plastic pollution.
Presenter: Dr Isabel Richter
Host: Prof. Catherina Schenck
Date: Thursday, 5 August 2021
Time: 12h00
Link: https://uwc.zoom.us/j/96406617173
ABOUT THE PRESENTER
My name is Isabel Richter and I am a post-doctoral researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway, and a Visiting Researcher at the University of Plymouth, UK. As an environmental psychologist, I mainly focus on human behaviour and decision-making relevant to environmental conservation and sustainability.
My main research focus is on applying and evaluating theories for behaviour change to encourage pro-environmental actions relevant to the marine environment. I have been working on projects looking at how psychological factors like norms, values, attitudes, and perceptions influence behaviours that are relevant for (marine) conservation such as sustainable seafood choices, consumption of plastic, sustainable tourism, and marine spatial planning. Throughout the last four years, my main activities revolved around the Blue Communities project in which we co-developed alternative future scenarios in coastal communities in South East Asia. I highly value collaborating closely with stakeholders, policymakers, and members of local communities to reinforce a participatory process and co-creation of solutions involving health, social and ecological aspects.
ABSTRACT
Plastic pollution is drastically affecting the oceans, marine life, human health and the Blue Economy. Because of its significance, plastic pollution has recently been named as a key goal for the UN Decade of the Ocean 2021-2030 and included as key output for 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) (IMO, 2019).
Compared to other environmental challenges, plastic pollution has exclusively anthropogenic roots, which makes human decisions and behaviour not only the cause but also the solution. This webinar will help to understand the psychological roots of people’s motivation, decisions, and behaviour, which are key for solution development.
These solutions can be found along the whole value chain: behavioural changes that lead to less plastic being consumed, less plastic being lost throughout the system and thereby spilled into the natural environment, or more plastic being cleaned up and recycled into valuable materials. Insights from behavioural science can be used to identify the drivers and barriers for potential solutions such as habits, knowledge, attitudes, norms, values, self-efficacy, or situational constraints. Ongoing and completed research along with personal experiences from international fieldwork will be used to illustrate how behavioural science can help to combat plastic pollution.
