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Tyndall Manchester

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CAST Centre is launched in Cardiff

2 October 2019

Tyndall Centre researchers Claire Hoolohan, Sarah Mander, Carly McLachlan and Ruth Wood attended the launch of the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST). The University of Manchester is a core partner in the Centre.

The CAST Centre will be a global hub for understanding the systemic and society-wide transformations required to address climate change. At its core, is a fundamental question of enormous social significance: How can we live differently – and better – in ways that meet the urgent need for rapid and far-reaching emission reductions? CAST focuses on four aspects of everyday life; food and diet, mobility, heating/cooling, and material consumption. 

Our Centre’s aims have been praised by climate activist Greta Thunberg who, in a special recorded message, described CAST as ‘extremely important and essential’ to helping achieve the drastic changes in our lifestyles to combat the climate crisis. 

Claire, Sarah, Carly, and Ruth are each co-leads on projects exploring practicable visions of the future (Theme 1), learning lessons from past and current societal shifts (Theme 2), and trialling and testing different models of change (Theme 3).

The Centre involves academics from Cardiff University, University of East Anglia, University of York and Climate Outreach, Europe's leading experts in climate change communications. It also involves policy makers (including Cardiff City Council, Scottish Government, BEIS and Greater Manchester Combined Authority); industry partners such as Wates Group and Anglian Water; internationally renowned science bodies like the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and leading climate change charities such as 10:10 to ensure the research is embedded in, and directly informs, the practical strategies of a range of partners.

Food and diet, mobility, heating/cooling, and material consumption have each proven resistant to actions intended to reduce their environmental impact. CAST seeks solutions that integrate insights from across multiple disciplines in novel ways to effect change in everyday action.

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