12/05/2023

Registration open
Invitation to the Sustainable Consumption Panel: What does right-wing populism mean for the green transformation?

Right-wing populists reject climate protection and spread misinformation about sustainable products such as electric cars or heat pumps. This has implications for the acceptance and dissemination of sustainable consumption patterns.

In view of the above, the fourth Sustainable Consumption Panel examines the connections and backgrounds of a strengthening right-wing populism in Germany and its effects on sustainable consumption. What does right-wing populism mean for the promotion of a socio-ecological transformation, especially in terms of sustainable consumption? What challenges are associated with it? These and other exciting questions will be discussed, and opportunities for exchange and networking provided through speed meetings and breakout sessions.

We cordially invite you to the Sustainable Consumption Panel on the topic 'What does right-wing populism mean for the green transformation?' on January 24, 2024, from 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM. You can find more information and the registration here.

The event is implemented as part of the project supporting the Competence Center for Sustainable Consumption.

12/01/2023

Registration for the digital event open
Invitation to the conference: Highlights of the Environmental Awareness Study 2022 and impulses for socio-ecological transformation research

We would like to invite you to the conference "Highlights of the Environmental Awareness Study 2022 and Impulses for Social-Ecological Transformation Research" on January 25 from 09:30 - 13:00.

Every two years, the German Federal Environment Ministry and the Federal Environment Agency conduct an environmental awareness study to find out what people in Germany think about the environment. The latest study shows: Even if crises such as the war of aggression against Ukraine and inflation are currently more in the foreground, protecting the environment and climate remains an important issue for people in Germany. A very clear majority are in favor of the environmentally and climate-friendly restructuring of the German economy. However, it is important to respondents that the transformation takes place in a socially responsible manner and that particularly affected regions receive targeted support.

These findings will be presented at the conference, which is being organized by ConPolicy and the Institute for Ecological Economy Research on behalf of the German Federal Environment Agency. Four sessions will explore central topics of the study in greater depth. The aim is to provide impetus for environmental research and to obtain suggestions for future surveys on environmental awareness.

ConPolicy project manager Marlene Münsch will present the results of the study on the topic of "circular economy". The event will be moderated by ConPolicy Managing Director Prof. Dr. Christian Thorun.
If you are interested, you can find more information and registration here.

12/01/2023

ConPolicy finalises process evaluation on behalf of vzbv
Final report on the process evaluation of the project "Empowering consumers in neighbourhoods" published

The project "Empowering consumers in the neighborhood" aims to support vulnerable consumer groups in their everyday consumer lives in a variety of ways. 

On behalf of the vzbv, ConPolicy evaluated the neighborhood project from May to September 2023 to determine which of the methods used are particularly effective in achieving the project objectives. 

A comprehensive collection of primary data from various stakeholders and participants impressively demonstrated the benefits of the neighborhood project for the target group. The employees of the neighborhood project succeeded in gaining the trust of the target group and general recognition for the professional quality of the performed work. The most important conclusion from the evaluation is therefore the expressed desire across all surveys that the project should be continued unchanged and made permanent. 

Further information on the project can be found here. You can download the evaluation report here.

11/30/2023

What are the potentials of participatory formats for risk and scientific communication?
New Project for the Federal Office for Radiation Protection

Participatory formats represent a promising approach for successful risk and scientific communication. As part of a new research project for the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), the ConPolicy Institute is investigating the potential of participatory formats for risk and scientific communication of radiation protection topics. 
To this end, exemplary case studies of such digital communication formats are collected and evaluated. The effects of selected scenarios will also be tested using a representative survey and in-depth individual interviews.
ConPolicy is supported in the project by the market research institute INNOFACT AG, Prof. Dr. Constanze Rossmann (expert for risk and health communication) and Philipp Schrögel (expert for scientific communication, in particular participatory formats). 

Further information on the project can be found here.   
 

11/22/2023

How can nudging drive the mobility transition?
ConPolicy presents research results at transport conferences

This fall, ConPolicy project manager Dr. Annette Cerulli-Harms is on the road to present the possibilities and impacts of nudging to the world of public transport and mobility management.

The core of her message is that everyone involved in the mobility transition and those who design and implement new transport measures should know and use the tools of behavioral science. Uncovering behavioral biases and designing choice environments in a way that removes barriers and presents desired behaviors in motivating ways can help encourage more people to switch to sustainable transport alternatives. 

Annette Cerulli-Harms points out that default settings, social norms and making otherwise invisible information visible can effectively break through habitual behavior patterns. 

The presented results draw, among others, on the findings of our publicly funded projects Green Nudging and MOBITAT 2050 and were presented at the Future Mobility Summit of the Tagesspiegel, the Nahverkehrstage of the University of Kassel and the German Conference for Mobility Management of DEPOMM.