TT26 Energy Seminar – Week 5: Exploring the social mandate for reducing energy demand
Andy Yuille, Climate Citizens research group at the Tyndall Centre, University of Manchester
- Start Tuesday 26 May 2026 5:00pm
- Finish Tuesday 26 May 2026 6:15pm
- Venue Diversity Room - ECI, OUCE
- Postcode OX1 3PY
- Register for event
Summary: While support for net zero has become more fragmented, the majority of the UK public are still concerned about, and support action on, climate change. Recent research suggests that the level of ambition for demand-side measures in meeting our climate targets has been too constrained. This seminar will discuss the results of a two-year citizens’ panel exploring the social acceptability of substantial reductions in energy demand, and the conditions underpinning acceptability. Citizen deliberation was integrated with computer modelling to produce new ‘citizen-led’ scenarios of possible futures for how we heat our homes, get around, buy products, eat food, and get to net zero, combining people’s views, values and experiences with real data.
Speaker: Dr Andy Yuille is a Research Fellow in the Climate Citizens research group at the Tyndall Centre, University of Manchester. He researches public and stakeholder engagement in developing and implementing policy relating to climate and environmental issues. He focuses on new ways of engaging people in decision-making, and how different kinds of knowledge and experience can shape public policy. He currently leads the Energy Demand Research Centre’s work on understanding the social acceptability of energy demand reduction. Prior to starting his PhD in 2014, he had 15 years’ experience of working with innovative governance structures and influencing public policy.