‘Net zero isn’t enough’ says Carbon Copy co-founder Ric Casale who calls for new climate narrative
Local communities hold the key to tackling climate change, with collective action delivering benefits that go far beyond carbon reduction – warmer homes, lower bills and stronger neighbourhoods
Communities across the UK have the power to accelerate climate action and shape a more sustainable future, according to Ric Casale, co-founder and trustee of climate action charity, Carbon Copy.
Speaking on episode 52 of The Decarbonisation Dialogue podcast, Ric argues that local, collective action is a vital but often overlooked part of the response to the climate and nature crisis.
In our interview he draws on themes from his book Civic Revolution: A Citizen’s Guide. This is where he describes how residents can become active participants in improving their neighbourhoods rather than simply viewing themselves as consumers.
He says: “The premise of the book is really to look at the role we can all play as citizens. A citizen is simply a person who belongs to a place. When people become more actively engaged in their communities, they can make the world around them a better place.”
Ric believes climate action is most effective when it happens at multiple levels, from individual behaviour change to national policy. However, he says the local level often receives too little attention despite being where meaningful change can take root.
He says: “Local action is where individual behaviour and national policy come together.
“There is something different about collective local action. It’s not just the sum of individual efforts, and it’s not simply the implementation of national policy.”
Examples include community energy schemes, shared green spaces, circular economy initiatives and local food-growing projects. Such efforts, he says, create tangible benefits while encouraging wider participation.
People need to understand what’s in it for them. The reduction in carbon emissions is important, but often it’s not the reason someone decides to get involved. The real opportunity is showing how climate action can improve people’s lives and strengthen the places they call home.
People’s stories on climate action
In our podcast Ric explains how Carbon Copy has built a national database of more than 700 climate action stories from communities, organisations and local groups across the country. The charity’s self-publishing platform allows people to share their experiences, successes and lessons learnt in their own words.
“We believe that copying successful ideas is one of the fastest ways to scale climate action. People want to learn not only what works but also what challenges others have faced and how they overcame them.”
The charity recently completed a major research project examining why some local climate initiatives achieve particularly strong results. The findings are published in a new report, From Footprint to Changeprint, which identifies the factors that help projects deliver significant impact, even when funding is limited.
A key message from the report is that climate action should be communicated through the practical benefits people experience in their daily lives, rather than through technical policy language alone.
Ric is particularly critical of the phrase ‘net zero’ describing it as a useful policy metric but an ineffective tool for public engagement.
“Net zero is a technocratic phrase that doesn’t resonate widely with the public. For many people, the motivation is warmer homes, lower energy bills, cleaner air or stronger communities. Those are the benefits that matter most in everyday life.”
He believes that climate communications should focus less on carbon accounting and more on the wider social, economic and environmental gains that come from action.
“People need to understand what’s in it for them. The reduction in carbon emissions is important, but often it’s not the reason someone decides to get involved. The real opportunity is showing how climate action can improve people’s lives and strengthen the places they call home.”
The Decarbonisation Dialogue
Let us know what you think of The Decarbonisation Dialogue. If you have ideas for guests or other podcast suggestions, please contact us at podcast [email protected]. We’d love to know what you think.
All episodes are available for streaming or download from your preferred podcast platform including Apple, Amazon and Spotify. The recordings are also available from our website.
