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Project title

Sustainable Production and Consumption: The Influence of Social Norms

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

University College Cork (UCC)

Lead Applicant

Stephen Onakuse

Project Abstract

In the drive towards production and consumption sustainability, social norms are broadly identified as key influencing driver of consumer decision making that exhibit pressure on behavioural preference, which are often measured through survey activities. To understand the social norm to sustainable consumption, an initial empirical survey approach will be conducted, following a review exercise that identifies existing policy instruments targeting sustainability of production and consumption, and a comparison to top performing SDG12 markets. The survey extracts will be used to develop a harmonized metric that can be adapted to preferred updated frequency, and to support initialization of a model development. Thereafter, a different approach to evaluating the influence of social norms will be provided through the application of an agent based model (ABM). The use of agent based modelling technique have been empirically verified to possess the capability to integrate human behaviour, due to its ability to generate events of heterogeneous activities based on embedded decision rules and learning process using bottom up approaches. The model will be exploited to assess the emerging effect of existing, planned and or recommended policies, which aim at integrating producer and consumer decisions; validating empirical observations; and replicability of scenarios and extendable model development. The project will produce two peer reviewed journal papers. One on empirical analysis of consumer survey, and another on new agent based model development and scenario findings of policy effects on production and consumer behaviour. There will be a poster presentation at a subject related event, to increase peer and social outreach. Additionally, each of the papers will have one policy brief summarized in 2-4 pages maximum, to be distributed in an organized seminar, to the EPA, and online media � Linkedin pages. Two conference papers will also be targeted for presentation at local and international conferences. A seminar presentation open to stakeholders, researchers and academics. Overtime, there will be 1 technical progress and financial reports, every six months. There will be a summarized documentation on the model development posted on UCC staff profile webpage, to motivate open opportunity for future development. The outcome of this study will become part of the modules delivered to first year student in development (about 250 students) taking introduction to development, where the sustainable development goals and their linkages is first introduced and in their final module titled food security and food systems

Grant Approved

�149,892.96

Research Hub

Sustainability

Research Theme

Socio-Economic Considerations

Start Date

01/02/2019

Initial Projected Completion Date

31/07/2020