That is the warning within a new “Framework for Pro-environmental Behaviours” issued by Defra yesterday, laying out how government policy should encourage environmental behaviour.
This report will help government and stakeholders reach people and empower them to make changes in their lives today that will make a big difference tomorrow.
Joan Ruddock
Among various environmental policy implications, the framework suggests extending producer responsibility and a greater consistency of recycling collections among local authorities to win over the public.
“Lack of trust”
Media stories about recycling materials being sent to landfill and claims of environmental taxes being used to raise revenue have helped breed a “lack of trust” among the public, the framework said.
Industry is seen as failing to act unless environmental issues help them raise profits, while local authorities are seen as asking the public to do more themselves while “not reflecting this in lower council taxes”.
People believed that “if the crisis were so serious, then addressing climate change would be the subject of major government spending”, the framework warned.
It said there was also “some disbelief” about the scale of actions people are being asked to undertake to tackle an issue as momentous as global climate change.
“People do not believe these small actions will have a significant effect on tackling climate change: this may be because of the small scale of activity, or suspicion of what happens down the line (e.g. recycling, with the mistrust partly fuelled by some media stories of recycling going to landfill,” the framework said.
Action
Defra said the framework will help government understand public understanding, attitudes and behaviours on the environment, and guide policy makers in encouraging different groups of people to take action.
Unveiling the report, environment minister Joan Ruddock said: “We all need to do our bit to tackle climate change. Most people want to do something but sometimes don't know how. This report will help government and stakeholders reach people and empower them to make changes in their lives today that will make a big difference tomorrow.”
Within the framework, which is based on research from the British Market Research Bureau, Defra points out that the proportion of people that say they recycle has doubled in the last six years, 80% now claiming to take part. And, it says that while the reported barriers to recycling have not changed over the last six years – householders already doing all they can, a lack of collections and a lack of space to store materials – the proportion of people citing a lack of facilities has dropped to just 8% in 2007.
However, Defra's framework – a policy document that looks at environmental issues other than just waste – suggests that the government should now be moving on from awareness work on recycling.
“We should look to challenge the perception held by many that recycling can count as 'doing my bit' as well as encouraging people to see links between environmental behaviours and to other non-environmental benefits,” it said.
Regarding waste, which is stated in the framework as one of the main priorities along with better behaviour on transport, water use, energy use and consumption of products, the Framework particularly highlights the need to increase recycling, cut food wastage, reduce packaging use and foster a re-use/repair culture in the use of products.
Policy
Discussing implications for government policy, the Framework concludes that the government should be looking to extend producer responsibility – and it specifies a need for more producer responsibility on packaging. Work on the life cycle of products should be carried out to minimise products' environmental impacts.
Looking at local authority waste and recycling collections, the Framework suggests a “greater consistency in collection practice between local authorities”.
With Defra currently preparing the legislation to run household recycling incentive trials (see letsrecycle.com story), the Framework also says collection performances and services “need to reach a high standard before interventions such as variable waste charging are brought in”.
On food waste, the Framework says more work with retailers will be needed, including work on “buy one, get one free” offers, best before dates and work to spread awareness on the “origins and value” of leftover food.
Commenting on the new Framework, Stephen Hale, director of the Green Alliance, said: “2008 can be a landmark year for government action to help every one of us reduce our environmental impact. Government has a critical role in enabling us to act. This report demonstrates public support for action, and contains the evidence needed to design and implement new and successful policies.”
Subscribe for free